Last week, Dr. Dawit Solomon from the School of Integrative Plant Science, Soil and Crop Sciences Section, spoke with the Rose scholars about his research on soils in parts of the world where soil degradation is occurring. By analyzing the processes of earth’s carbon cycle, research has proven the amount of carbon dioxide that is contained in soil is more than all the carbon in earth’s atmosphere.  This is an issue that is very prevalent in today’s society with global warming becoming a greater issue and organic foods becoming more popular.

My grandparents live in Peru, and all of their life, both income and dietary needs, has depended on their crops. It is beautiful to travel to Peru and see the vast amount of agricultural diversity that is possible due to the different climates that can be found in the country. But maintaining the soil is essential because if not the crops are not as productive and thus the families that depend on this source of food are at risk of not having enough to eat during the year.

Our planet is the only one of its kind that we have found so far, and soil degradation does not seem like a major problem yet, but it is something that needs to be accounted for. Dr. Solomon’s research has lead to the creation of phosphoric beads that can be placed into the earth to help bring about greater food production and lead to a better life for people living in poverty, in particular in Africa. By preserving our soil and finding a way to help the less fortunate in the world, preserving our world will help everyone in the long run.