The importance of soil education to connectivity as a dimension of soil security

Abstract

The connectivity concept within soil security posits that people need to have a connection to soil in order to properly value it. Showing how soil is important in everyday life can create connections to soil, because people care about things they see as impacting their quality of life. Education can demonstrate these connections and may take place in either formal or informal settings and over a wide range of age groups. Creating an effective educational environment is critical, which involves understanding the specific group being addressed, including their existing knowledge of and interest in soil. Soil scientists increasingly teach to student groups that need to know about soils within their chosen careers but are not necessarily training to be soil specialists. Within this formal setting, education that demonstrates the various functions that soils provide in support of human wellbeing may be important to connectivity because it clearly demonstrates the impact of soils on peoples’ lives. In less formal settings, it will be important to identify concepts that will resonate with the public or stakeholders, such as terroir, soil health, or soil security, and to effectively reach these groups with a message built around these concepts. Social marketing, social media, storytelling, soil apps, and soil games are all approaches that have promise to deliver the desired message, therefore creating connections between people and soil.