BLOGS, ARTICLES AND NEWS
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Youth Leadership, Land, Soil and Data: The YPARD Ghana Experience at the K4GGWA Capacity Building Workshop
Attending the Knowledge 4 Great Green Wall Action (K4GGWA) Component 2 Regional Capacity Building Workshop in Accra, Ghana from 23rd to 26th March, 2026 was an enriching and transformative experience for the Young Professionals for Agriculture Development (YPARD) Ghana country chapter members. Over four intensive days, the youth engaged with cutting-edge tools, practical methodologies and collaborative learning approaches to strengthen restoration decision-making across landscapes.
#Youth4Soil Join Partners in Mapping Priority Restoration Areas
From 1st to 9th March 2026, youth, community members and partners under the Towards Ending Drought Emergencies: Ecosystem Based Adaptation in Kenya’s Arid and Semi-Arid Rangelands (TWENDE) Project came together to map priority restoration areas across the Chyulu corridor in Kajiado County. Equipped with the Regreening Africa App and guided by local knowledge, youth played a central role in identifying urgent restoration needs and documenting ongoing interventions.
Youth Engage in Regional Learning Exchange Highlighting Zambia’s Agroecology Strategy as a Model for Southern Africa
Representatives from YPARD Zambia actively engaged in the discussions, gaining practical insights into how integrated systems—from water harvesting to soil health management and animal husbandry—can drive sustainable farming and contribute to long‑term resilience. Their participation led to deeper reflections on the barriers that young people may face in efficiently engaging with agroecology systems, including access to resources, training and supportive policy environments.
Soil Health Initiative – Revitalizing African Soil Grassroots Action for Sustainable Soil Stewardship Across Africa
The Soil Health Initiative – Revitalizing African Soil is a grassroots initiative dedicated to improving soil health across Africa by empowering local clubs, youth groups, and community-based organizations. It started in 2024 and has funded more than 8 local clubs in Africa. Its vision is to strengthen sustainable agriculture and environmental stewardship by placing soil health awareness and action at the community level, where long-term change is most effective. It focuses on bridging the gap between soil science and on-the-ground practice by supporting locally driven education, outreach, and conservation activities. Through small, targeted funding and technical encouragement, the initiative enables communities to host soil health events, promote climate-smart and environmentally friendly agricultural practices, and implement projects that respond to local soil challenges.
CA4SH Supports Global Fertiliser Breakthrough to Advance Soil Health, Climate Action and Food Security
The Coalition of Action for Soil Health (CA4SH) joined governments, international organisations, research institutions, and industry leaders in backing a renewed global commitment to transform fertiliser systems. This collective effort recognises the essential role fertilisers play in sustaining agricultural productivity and food security, while also addressing the urgent need to reduce their environmental and climate impacts.
How agroforestry systems can regenerate soil, strengthen communities, and create sustainable economic pathways to protect the Amazon.
The Amazon is one of the most important biomes on the planet - not only for its biodiversity, but also for the essential role it plays in regulating the global climate. Protecting this territory requires solutions that integrate nature, society, and the economy in a sustainable way.
Written by Gabriela Fang for Amazon People
From Trails to Trees: Marking International Day of Forests with a Regenerative Vision for Sport and Soil
At last year's Merrell Hobbit Trail Runs, hosted by Mountain Runner Events, finishers of the 90km Hobbit Wayfarer did not receive a traditional medal. There was no metal disc stamped and ribboned to hang around the neck. Instead, runners were gifted something alive: an indigenous tree, planted nearby on their behalf.
YPARD-Kenya Farmers Festival
The Young Professionals for Agricultural Development (YPARD) Kenya invited the Soil and Land Health Theme at the Centre for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF) to take part in the YPARD–Kenya Farmers’ Festival 2026, held on 13 March 2026 at Mamboleo Farm.
10 Years of Soil4Climate - a CA4SH Founding Member
This past January marked ten years since Soil4Climate was officially incorporated in the United States — the beginning of our journey to champion soil restoration as a powerful climate solution.
Common Ground Redux - Educational Film Release
Introducing “Common Ground Redux” the free educational edition of the award-winning film “Common Ground” (@commongroundfilm) - available to watch now and host screenings! This 45 minute documentary shares insight and testimony from farmers, ranchers, educators, and advocates facing the challenges of our current food and farm systems and creating positive impact from regenerative agriculture practices.
2025-2034: Decade of Soil Sciences for Sustainable Development
The International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) has launched the 2025-2034 Decade of Soil Sciences for Sustainable Development (DSSSD). The Research Forum of the IUSS, in collaboration with the Executive Committee and the Council, will play a crucial role in enabling activities during this period, promoting research and innovation on sustainable soil management.
Journeying with Youth: The RAENS Lusaka Networking Event
On 5th February 2026, at the M’kango Golfview Hotel in Lusaka, young professionals, researchers, educators, civil society leaders, and government representatives gathered for a networking and sharing event hosted by the Research for Agroecology Network Southern Africa (RAENS). This event was held to bring together research, teaching and practice to advance agroecology.
“Welcome to The Rhizosphere” by Poppy Flint
Poppy Flint’s love for soil formed through a combination of organic horticulture training at OrganicLea, developing training on natural flood management for the rivers trust, Thames21, and working on sustainable food and climate education. As the web formed in her mind of the cycles, functions and social fabric that soil holds, her appreciation expanded beyond food growing and nutrients to seeing it as a crucial biological and physical global regulatory system. The results are a series of relatable stories in ecological, agricultural and climate research, translated into interactive, educational and playful experiences.
Call for Applications for the 2026 #Youth4Soil Mentorship Programme
On 17 February 2026, the Coalition of Action 4 Soil Health (CA4SH) launched the call for applications for the 2026 #Youth4Soil Mentorship Programme in an online info session.
Building a Soil Data Ecosystem: Africa Steps Forward on Fertilizer and Soil Health Challenge with Multi-stakeholder Approach
Regional leaders, scientists, policymakers, and development partners gathered at the ICRAF Campus in Nairobi on January 27–28, 2026 for the inception workshop of a groundbreaking initiative: Establishing an ecosystem of soil data-driven services to meet the Global Fertilizer and Soil Health Challenge. The workshop was anchored in the three‑year project titled “Establishing an Ecosystem of Soil Data-Driven Services to Meet the Global Fertilizer and Soil Health Challenge.” The initiative is implemented by CIFOR-ICRAF and the Coalition of Action for Soil Health (CA4SH) in collaboration with the Varda Foundation, with financial support from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD). It builds on a soil knowledge exchange pilot conducted in 2024 in Kenya and Tanzania, which identified key barriers and opportunities for strengthening collaborative soil data ecosystems
Youth Leaders Spotlight Wetlands, Traditional Knowledge and Climate Action at World Wetlands Day 2026 Webinar
To commemorate World Wetlands Day 2026, on February 2, 2026 leading youth networks convened a high-level virtual webinar titled “Wetlands and Traditional Knowledge: Celebrating Cultural Heritage through Youth Action for Food Systems and Climate Resilience.”
The event was convened by the Sustainable Food Systems Youth Foundation (SFSYF) in collaboration with World Food Forum (WFF) Nigeria, Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN) Nigeria, LCOY Nigeria, Biodiversity Rescue Club, and partner youth organizations, with technical and promotional collaboration from the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.
Youth at the Center of Soil Health Action: YPARD Engagement at the Nairobi Soil Health Knowledge Exchange
On 27–28 January 2026, young agrifood system leaders from across Eastern and Southern Africa gathered at the CIFOR-ICRAF Campus in Nairobi for the Soil Health Knowledge Exchange Workshop.
The meeting marked the inception of a three-year initiative, Establishing an Ecosystem of Soil Data-Driven Services to Meet the Global Fertilizer and Soil Health Challenge, implemented by CIFOR-ICRAF in collaboration with the Varda Foundation and supported by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD).
The workshop brought together researchers, policymakers, development partners, civil society, private sector actors, and farmer organizations from Kenya, Ghana, Malawi, and Tanzania to explore how soil data and knowledge can be better shared and used to advance sustainable land management, food security, and resilient agrifood systems. Within this diverse multi-stakeholder space, the YPARD played a visible and strategic role in championing youth-centered approaches to soil health action.
Where wetlands meet soil health: Community-led Nature-Based Solutions in Kenya
As we commemorate World Wetlands Day 2026, let's remind ourselves of how the Wetlands and healthy soils are deeply interconnected, as they function as one integrated system that supports water, climate, biodiversity, and human livelihoods.
Wetlands Conservation Organisation connects wetlands to soil health by restoring wetland soils, protecting soil carbon, applying nature-based solutions, reducing land degradation, empowering communities, and influencing policy.
Born in the Sahel, now global: A soil assessment method reshaping restoration science
Twenty years ago in Mali, Tor-Gunnar Vågen and colleagues began experimenting with a methodology to assess and map soil and land health; today, that early work has amplified into a framework with myriad applications for restoration across landscapes.
The Varda Foundation and CIFOR-ICRAF co-hosted a co-design workshop to scale soil data infrastructure in Africa
Across Africa, large volumes of soil data are collected every year, yet much of this information remains difficult to access, combine, or reuse. Addressing this challenge requires not only better digital tools, but stronger collaboration between the institutions that generate, manage, and use soil data. This was the focus of a two-day technical consultation workshop held in Rome in November 2025, which brought together partners working on the open-source transition of SoilHive.