Report on the Role of Soil Science in Advancing Sustainable Development Goals in Iowa Agriculture

Introduction: The Foundational Role of Soil Health in Sustainable Farming

The work of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Iowa exemplifies a targeted approach to sustainable agriculture, with soil science serving as the foundation for achieving key environmental and production objectives. This report analyzes the activities of NRCS personnel, using the work of Area Resource Soil Scientist Jason Steele as a case study, to illustrate the direct contributions of soil conservation to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The NRCS, originally formed to combat soil erosion, has evolved its mission to encompass a holistic view of soil health and sustainability, recognizing its critical role in modern agriculture.

Alignment with UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) & SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production)

The NRCS’s focus on soil health directly supports the goals of ensuring food security and promoting sustainable production patterns. By improving soil quality, agricultural systems become more resilient and productive.

• Enhanced Crop Growth: Healthy soils with high levels of organic matter foster more natural and robust crop growth, contributing to stable and increased food production (SDG 2).
• Informed Production Decisions: Soil scientists assist farmers in making data-driven decisions regarding land use, from crop selection to the installation of infrastructure, ensuring that production methods are both economically viable and environmentally sound (SDG 12).
• Sustainable Farming Systems: The promotion of practices like rotational grazing and diverse crop rotations (corn, soybeans, alfalfa) helps create sustainable agricultural systems that maintain long-term productivity.

SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) & SDG 15 (Life on Land)

A primary objective of the NRCS’s work is the mitigation of environmental degradation, which aligns with the goals of protecting water resources and terrestrial ecosystems. Healthy soil is the first line of defense against pollution and land degradation.

Key Conservation Practices Supporting SDG 6 and SDG 15:

• Erosion Control: The fundamental mission of reducing soil erosion prevents the loss of valuable topsoil and protects terrestrial ecosystems (SDG 15).
• Nutrient Management: By improving soil health, the runoff of phosphorus and nitrogen into waterways is significantly reduced, directly protecting water quality (SDG 6).
• Water Management Structures: Investigations and implementation of practices such as ponds, wetlands, saturated buffers, and grade stabilization structures serve multiple purposes:
  1. They slow and filter water runoff, preventing pollutants from entering rivers and streams.
  2. They combat erosion by stabilizing vulnerable points in the landscape.
  3. They create and restore habitats, contributing to biodiversity (SDG 15).
• Conservation Reserve Program (CRP): Encouraging farmer participation in programs like CRP helps convert highly erodible cropland to vegetative cover, restoring ecosystems and protecting soil.

SDG 4 (Quality Education) & SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals)

The successful implementation of sustainable practices relies on knowledge transfer and strong collaboration between government agencies, private landowners, and community organizations.

Key Initiatives in Education and Partnership:

• Capacity Building: Experienced soil scientists like Jason Steele conduct field days and training workshops for new NRCS staff and conservation partners, ensuring a high level of technical expertise and institutional knowledge (SDG 4).
• Farmer Collaboration: Building trust and maintaining open communication with farmers is crucial. By relating scientific principles to practical, on-farm economic and agronomic concerns, NRCS staff foster effective partnerships for conservation implementation (SDG 17).
• Youth Engagement: Involvement in youth programs, such as FFA soils judging contests and presentations to high school and college classes, promotes conservation education for the next generation of farmers and land stewards, embedding principles of sustainable development at an early age (SDG 4).

Conclusion: Integrating Soil Science for Comprehensive Sustainability

The efforts of the Iowa NRCS demonstrate that soil health is a critical nexus for achieving multiple Sustainable Development Goals simultaneously. By focusing on the soil, the agency addresses food security (SDG 2), responsible production (SDG 12), clean water (SDG 6), and terrestrial ecosystem health (SDG 15). Furthermore, its model of education, training, and partnership-building (SDG 4, SDG 17) provides a framework for the effective deployment of conservation practices. The work of individual soil scientists who bridge the gap between technical science and on-the-ground farming is essential to putting conservation on the ground and advancing a more sustainable future for agriculture.

Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 2: Zero Hunger

  This goal is addressed through the article’s focus on sustainable agriculture. The work of the NRCS and soil scientists like Jason Steele aims to improve farming practices to ensure long-term productivity. The article mentions raising “corn, soybeans, alfalfa, and pasture,” and emphasizes that “soil health and sustainability are the heart of everything we do,” which is fundamental to sustainable food production.

• SDG 4: Quality Education

  The article highlights the importance of education and knowledge sharing. Jason Steele actively engages in training new staff, landowners, and youth. He conducts “field days and training workshops,” speaks to “high school classes,” gives “presentations at colleges,” and participates in “soils judging for FFA contests.” This work promotes lifelong learning and disseminates the knowledge required for sustainable land management.

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

  A direct connection is made between soil conservation and water quality. The article explicitly states, “If we take care of the soil, we keep phosphorus and nitrogen from polluting our waters.” It also describes conservation practices like building ponds to provide “water quality benefits” and installing “wetlands” and “saturated buffers,” all of which contribute to protecting water resources.

• SDG 15: Life on Land

  This is a central theme of the article. The NRCS was “formed out of the Dust Bowl era” with a primary mission of “reducing soil erosion on private lands.” The work described, such as improving soil health, building grade stabilization structures, and promoting conservation programs, directly contributes to combating land degradation and restoring terrestrial ecosystems.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  The article emphasizes a collaborative approach. Steele’s success is partly due to his ability to build “trust between NRCS and our farmers.” The work involves partnerships between a government agency (NRCS), private landowners (farmers), and “state partner’s programs.” This multi-stakeholder approach is crucial for implementing conservation practices “on the ground.”

What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that… progressively improve land and soil quality.

  The article is a case study in implementing this target. The focus on “soil health and sustainability,” “improving soils and farming practices,” and using conservation techniques like “rotational grazing” are all examples of implementing resilient agricultural practices that improve soil quality for sustainable food production.

• Target 4.7: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development…

  Jason Steele’s educational outreach directly supports this target. By training NRCS staff, speaking with students (“FFA contests,” “high school classes”), and working with landowners, he is ensuring that current and future generations “acquire the knowledge and skills” for conservation and sustainable farming, giving them “ideas about conservation at an early age.”

• Target 6.3: By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution…

  The article links soil health directly to this target by stating that healthy soil helps “keep phosphorus and nitrogen from polluting our waters.” This describes a method for reducing non-point source pollution from agricultural lands, thereby improving water quality.

• Target 6.6: By 2020, protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including… wetlands…

  The work of investigating soils to see if practices like “wetlands” and “saturated buffers” can be installed is a direct action towards protecting and restoring water-related ecosystems to achieve benefits like improved water quality and erosion control.

• Target 15.3: By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil… and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world.

  The fundamental mission of the NRCS, as described in the article, is to address land degradation. The focus on “reducing soil erosion,” which began in the “Dust Bowl era,” and the continuous work on improving “soil health” are core activities aimed at restoring degraded land and soil.

• Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships…

  The article showcases the public-private partnership between the NRCS (a public agency) and farmers/landowners (private citizens). The trust and communication Steele builds, as confirmed by farmer Steve Berger, is an example of an effective partnership to achieve shared conservation goals.

Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Soil Health Metrics

  The article implies the use of direct soil measurements as indicators. These include “soil identifiers like colors, moisture levels, and textures,” “adequate clay content,” and achieving “high levels of organic matter.” These metrics can be used to track progress in improving soil quality (Target 2.4 and 15.3).

• Water Infiltration Rate

  A photo caption explicitly mentions that the soil scientist “measures water infiltration.” This is a key performance indicator for soil health, as better infiltration reduces water runoff, which in turn reduces soil erosion and the transport of pollutants into waterways (Target 6.3 and 15.3).

• Nutrient Levels in Water

  The goal to “keep phosphorus and nitrogen from polluting our waters” implies that a key indicator of success would be the measured concentration of these nutrients in local water bodies. A reduction in these levels would indicate progress towards Target 6.3.

• Adoption of Conservation Practices

  The article mentions several conservation practices such as building ponds, installing “wetlands, saturated buffers, and grade stabilization structures,” and implementing “rotational grazing, or CRP.” The number of acres or farms adopting these practices serves as a tangible indicator of the successful implementation of conservation programs (Targets 2.4, 6.6, 15.3).

• Number of People Trained

  An indicator for educational outreach (Target 4.7) is the number of people reached. The article mentions Steele’s work with “new staff,” “landowners,” “high school classes,” and “colleges.” Quantifying the number of participants in these training sessions and workshops would measure the reach of these educational efforts.

SDGs, Targets and Indicators

Source: hpj.com