Grant: Alliance Grants

Agriculture is vital for the economy and communities; however traditional (colonial) farming practices have led to soil degradation, water scarcity, and low productivity. Therefore, an interdisciplinary approach is required to address these challenges by integrating knowledge and expertise from various fields such as genomics, the humanities, agronomy, ecology, economics, and public health. This study will investigate sustainable agriculture strategies for building resilience in producers and communities. We focus specifically on soil health's role in improving health outcomes - health for the environment and our rural communities. We will use an interdisciplinary approach to viably increase productivity, conserve natural resources, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in determining sustainable agricultural practices to improve soil health, leading to increased yields, improved nutrition while considering the economic advantages of the advances proposed. Our findings will provide insight into sustainable agriculture practices that can significantly benefit producers and communities, promoting resilience and improving health outcomes.