At February’s BioFach trade fair in Nuremberg, Germany, Volkert Engelsman of Dutch organic specialist Eosta/Nature & More launched the Save Our Soils fund, set up to raise awareness of the importance of healthy soils.
Contributions from the Triodos Foundation and Soil & More in the Netherlands, from Amfri Farms in Uganda and from Lebensbaum in Germany have now helped the fund reach €200,000 of its €500,000 target, according to Eosta.
The Save Our Soil campaign’s core message is that every consumer can contribute to saving fertile soils by selecting sustainable and organic food.
“The money we have now raised is a great start,” said Engelsman. “In the years to come we want to raise at least €500,000, so we’re looking out for contributions from other parties. In this way, we can make a sound contribution to improving agricultural practices and supporting a future with more food security.”
The campaign was originally intended as an awareness building effort, but the development of the fund means that practical assistance can now be offered to farmers.
Initiatives provided by the fund include composting workshops for growers, research into best agricultural practices, and the promotion of cooperation and exchange of knowledge.
