Policy Proposal: Soil Biodiversity & Human Well-Being

 

I. Rationale & Strategic Imperative  

Soil biodiversity underpins both ecological stability and human health. Scientific findings reveal that microbial life in soil directly influences serotonin production, gut-brain communication, and immune resilience. Yet, policy recognition remains scant. This proposal advocates integrating soil biodiversity into biodiversity frameworks, legislation, and SDG-linked health initiatives as a matter of urgency and global equity.

II. Objectives  

The key objectives are to ensure soil biodiversity is formally recognized in biodiversity targets, treat microbial diversity as a component of public health planning, promote citizen-led and AI-supported monitoring networks, and establish legally protected zones for soil organisms.

III. Institutional Alignment  

Key institutions already shaping soil biodiversity efforts include the Global Soil Biodiversity Initiative (GSBI), which bridges policy and science for soil governance; the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which has launched a global initiative on soil biodiversity spanning 2020–2030; the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which provides extensive knowledge support; and EU-funded programs like SoilGUARD that model the connection between soil health and human outcomes.

 IV. Key Challenges  

Despite progress, three core challenges hinder advancement: the absence of enforceable legal frameworks for soil biodiversity, limited public understanding of its links to mental and physical health, and weak representation of soil biodiversity within broader restoration and sustainability agendas.

 V. Policy Actions  

 Legislative Recommendations  

National governments should integrate soil biodiversity into CBD-based reporting frameworks, establish legally protected zones for soil organisms, and revise existing strategies—such as the EU Soil Strategy—to embed biodiversity laws.

Procedural Initiatives  

Countries can emulate Brazil’s Soil Biota Inventory to map microbial life across biomes or apply Canada’s Soil Biodiversity Index to measure soil-health impacts on agriculture and mental wellness. In addition, they should promote AI-enabled citizen science programs that track soil life at scale.

 VI. Regional & Global Support Needs  

Urgent attention is needed in Northern India, where salinization and biodiversity loss are decimating rice and wheat yields. Assam is particularly vulnerable, with nine of India’s most erosion-prone districts threatening both soil biodiversity and human well-being. Regions in Africa and Asia often lack formal integration of soil biodiversity in their national frameworks. Indigenous communities play a vital role: Terai farmers in Nepal serve as soil biota stewards through agroecological practices, while First Nations in Canada embed microbial diversity into food and health systems.

 VII. Innovation & Startups  

Biodiversity intelligence startups should be supported to deliver soil-health analytics, microbial sequencing, and visualization platforms. For example, Biome Makers (USA) operates the BeCrop® system that links soil biology to crop resilience, while Elaniti (UK) specializes in mapping functional microbial relationships for health and agriculture applications.

VIII. Finance Architecture  

To fund this transition, nature-positive mechanisms like the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) should be prioritized. Governments must also repurpose agricultural subsidies to incentivize microbiome restoration and agroecology. Microbiome Restoration Bonds—for example, between Brazil and Nepal—can fund recovery in degraded soils, and Biodiversity Trade Agreements—such as Canada and Chad—can align nutrition and soil health goals.

 IX. SDG Integration  

This proposal reinforces SDG 3 by enhancing mental health through microbial resilience, SDG 15 by protecting life on land via microbial diversity, and SDG 1 by promoting poverty reduction through soil-linked agricultural security.

 X. Implementation Timeline  

In the first six months, core indicators should be finalized and citizen science tools piloted. Over the next year, inventories will be launched, relevant startups funded, and trade bonds formalized. By the end of the third phase, these actions should be fully embedded into national biodiversity strategies and public health systems.