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We have initiated an experiment on the grounds of the Garden colony POG- a community compost area, functional only with community self-organisation and under responsibility of all users. On April 29, 2015, as part of the ONE HECTARE art and participatory exhibition, the notorious urban gardening sensation, Prinzessinnengärten, erected a three chamber composter on the South-West border of the garden allotment colony POW.

Everyone is invited to contribute biologically degradable material (see the list of go’s and no-go’s), to maintain the compost area, and to use the fertile soil produced. Please contact amy.green@iass-potsdam.de with any questions of comments.

Good for the compost: 

green garden waste, fruit scraps (not sprayed), egg shells, caffe grounds, leaves, grass cuttings, hedge clippings, wild grasses (no root spreading weeds), lime and ground minerals, hair, untreated paper and cardboard, old soil from balconies.

Not good for the compost:

scraps of sprayed fruits and vegetables, cooked and spiced food left-overs, oils and fats, plastics, meat, glass, metal, sick plants, slow decomposing organic matieral like leather, bones, larger pieces of wood, root speading plants, leaves with tannin such as oak.

For Google Maps, please click on the image.

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But this resource upon which our lives depend is being stretched more and more to its limits. As the world population continues to grow, the amount of arable land available per person drops. Since 1960 this has more than halved. At present it is slightly more than 2 000 m², or about a third the size of a football field. At the same time, the heavy usage of the available land is leading to soil degradation. This means that the soil is losing its ability to support food production and to fulfill important ecological and climate functions. Once soil has been lost, it is essentially lost for good: it takes 1 000 years for a mere five cm of soil to form.

But we use the land not just for crops, but also for pasture and forests. Thus, when we eat meat or use paper, we are also always indirectly consuming land. We Europeans especially are using more land than we have a right to statistically—1.2 hectares per person annually. This is a global problem. And a very concrete problem that we must face in Germany as well.
The installation ONE HECTARE provides a glimpse into functions of the soil and how it is used worldwide. It sheds light on the dilemma of how to avoid overusing a limited resource, and it shows how we are nevertheless squandering large amounts of this resource. In addition, it asks how land may be distributed more equally and sketches some ways that this precious resource may be used more sustainably.

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Although the quantity of fertile soil is in fact quite limited, we generally pay little attention to this resource. And yet it is the basis for producing 90 per cent of our food, it cleans and stores water, and helps to reduce the effects of climate change.

But this resource upon which our lives depend is being stretched more and more to its limits. As the world population continues to grow, the amount of arable land available per person drops. Since 1960 this has more than halved. At present it is slightly more than 2 000 m², or about a third the size of a football field. At the same time, the heavy usage of the available land is leading to soil degradation. This means that the soil is losing its ability to support food production and to fulfill important ecological and climate functions. Once soil has been lost, it is essentially lost for good: it takes 1 000 years for a mere five cm of soil to form.

But we use the land not just for crops, but also for pasture and forests. Thus, when we eat meat or use paper, we are also always indirectly consuming land. Germans for example are using more land than we have a right to statistically—1.2 hectares per person annually. This is a global problem. And a very concrete problem that we must face in Germany as well.

The installation ONE HECTARE provides a glimpse into functions of the soil and how it is used worldwide. It sheds light on the dilemma of overuse and scarcity, and it shows how we are nevertheless squandering large amounts of this resource. In addition, it asks how land may be distributed more equally and sketches some ways that this precious resource may be used more sustainably.

Photo credit: CC IOM Haiti@Flickr.com

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The distribution of land around the world is very unequal. Smallholders in particular struggle to survive and feed themselves.

In many regions agricultural land is distributed very unequally. This is especially the case in many countries once under colonial rule, where the question of who has a legal right to the land, forests, and waters is often complex and unclear. Although many areas have been declared state property, actual land use is based on local, usually historical rules. As fertile land has become more highly sought after, by locals as well as international investors, conflicts have increased. Consequently, in recent years thousands of families have been forced to leave their land against their will—often without any compensation. In Germany, too, the lack of access to land is a problem for smaller farm operations. This is especially true in the former East German states.

At a global level, unequal access to land is particularly detrimental to the world’s 475 million smallholders whose harvests feed some 2 billion people. Securing rights to land is thus key to securing the livelihoods and food supply of rural populations. Protecting land tenure rights thus also reduces the exodus from rural areas, and with it the problem of the growth of slums and increasing poverty in big cities.

Politicians around the world have recognized the potential for conflict posed by increasingly scarce resources. Together with private and public organizations, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization approved the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure (VGGT) in 2012. This was a milestone on the path to securing land tenure rights—particularly for disadvantaged and marginalized groups, which in many regions includes women.

Establishing a more just distribution of land and protecting the land rights of the rural population continue to be major challenges, however. Often this requires tackling existing power structures. Addressing this challenge is essential n order to improve the quality of life in rural areas and achieve global food security.

Photo credit: Soil Atlas 2015 (http://globalsoilweek.org/soilatlas-2015)

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One hectare of soil contains 15 tonnes of organisms—equivalent to the weight of 20 cows.

Directly under our feet is a living ecosystem that supports us and provides us and our planet with the nourishment that sustains us. The soil. It performs innumerable services for humans, animals, and the environment. The soil layer regulates and stores nutrients and water. It is thanks to the soil that we have clean drinking water; soil also forms the basis for the production of more than 95 per cent of our food supply.

The soil constitutes the second-largest carbon reservoir on the planet (surpassed only by the oceans); it plays a major role in regulating the global climate. But this is only possible with the help of billions of tiny assistants who make their homes in the soil. Taken together, the organisms in a hectare of land weigh as much as 20 cows: they include microorganisms, bacteria, spiders, beetles, and worms. Creatures that cause many of us to shudder when we see them thus in fact perform many functions that are crucial to ensuring our survival. Soil also plays a decisive role in preserving biodiversity.

Together, tiny creatures, plant roots, and humus make up about 7 per cent of the soil; the remainder consists of some 45 per cent mineral particles such as sand and clay, 25 per cent air, and 23 per cent water. Adequate air circulation and water supply are important to maintain the structure of the soil, to assist the activities of the soil-dwelling organisms, and ensure that the plant roots have sufficient access to oxygen. But the organisms in the soil are not the only ones who depend on it; directly or indirectly, many people also earn their livelihood from the soil.

If we are to achieve the goal of worldwide sustainable development, how we take care of the soil will be essential. We cannot afford to destroy the living surface of our planet by exhausting its capacity, burying it under asphalt, or allowing it to erode away.

Photo credit: Soil Atlas 2015 (http://globalsoilweek.org/soilatlas-2015)

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Every day in Germany more than 70 hectares of land are built over; globally the total is 2,880 hectares a day.

In 2007 for the first time in history more people lived in cities than in rural areas. In 2014, city-dwellers made up 54 per cent of the world population. By 2050 it will have increased to two-thirds.
Although there is a global trend towards urbanisation, there are still significant regional differences. In affluent countries up to 90 per cent of the population already lives in cities, but other regions are rapidly catching up: Latin America and the Caribbean are already highly urbanised (78 per cent), while Africa (38 per cent) and Asia (45 per cent) are still largely rural.

As cities grow, they bring myriad challenges for humans and the environment. Once fertile land is covered with structures or concrete, it is rarely ever returned to its previous state. Worldwide two hectares of land are lost to urbanisation every minute. With the land, many vital services performed by the soil are lost forever. Although Germany’s population is decreasing, every day some 70 hectares are developed for apartments, streets, and other infrastructure.

Soil that is covered with concrete is sealed and cannot absorb water any more. When large areas have been developed, heavy rain can easily lead to flooding. Soil also helps to regulate the local climate in cities. It has a cooling effect that helps to mitigate the urban “heat islands”. This function is becoming even more important due to climate change and the increase in extreme weather such as heat waves.
In many European cities there are already more than enough buildings to meet the needs of the population. By altering the ways we use existing structures and improving our transportation patterns, we can help to reduce the amount of fertile soil being sealed. The first steps towards this goal have already been taken. For example, today some rooftops are being used as to produce energy or food, to improve water absorption, or as a space for relaxation or sports activities.

Photo credit: CC Not A Cornfield@Flickr.com

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What we eat and how much food we waste is an important factor in global food security.

Today one in nine people still suffer from hunger, even though the total amount of food production worldwide is sufficient for everyone! How can we ensure that people everywhere—not just in rich countries—have enough to eat each day? There are three major factors: what we produce, what we eat, and how much food is lost between the field and our tables.

A portion of our foodstuffs are wasted before it ever reaches us: Some crops die in the fields, for example when farmers have no way to irrigate during dry spells or when harvests are destroyed by pests. And in poor countries in particular, a substantial amount of food spoils on the way to the consumer because the supply chains don’t function properly or because there is no way to cool or store products.

Much food is also lost even after it has already reached the market and the consumer. Substantial amounts of food are simply thrown away, especially in wealthy nations: produce to be sold is culled if it does not have the right shape; other products are thrown out because they are not considered fresh enough. And we consumers also throw a lot away because we bought more than we needed. All of this adds up to astonishing amounts: Nearly half (45 per cent) of all fruits and vegetables are wasted. The waste per person is higher in affluent countries than in poorer ones. The world’s richest nations waste nearly as much food as is produced in all of Sub-Saharan Africa. It is thus a political and economic task to reduce this waste. And a task that each and every one of us can assist with.

What we eat also affects global food security. Meat consumption is increasing worldwide, particularly in emerging nations. Poor people generally cannot afford to buy meat. Plant-based foodstuffs can also feed more people while requiring fewer land resources. A comparison: The amount of beef produced on a hectare of land is enough to feed 650 people for one day. If the same area were to be planted with grain, it could sustain 3 900 people. A diet low in meat thus contributes to improving global food security.

Photo credit: CC Ed Sweeney@Flickr.com

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The only way we can repair the soil and secure our food supply is through a combination of ecological and social measures.

Overuse is reducing the quality of the soil (‘degradation) and destroys its functions which enable us to survive. Heavily degraded land is not well-suited for agriculture and often can no longer be used at all.

In general, soil has the ability to recover on its own and regain lost functions. But this requires time. And time is scarce in today’s world. Once it was common practice to leave agricultural land uncultivated for a certain amount of time, so that it could recover during this fallow period. Today, however, fallow land is becoming less and less common.

Small farmers in particular rarely have enough land that they can afford to leave some of their fields to lie fallow and regenerate while still producing enough to feed themselves. Therefore methods are needed to help the soil to regenerate without ceasing to cultivate them. Farmers all over the world have accumulated much knowledge about such methods. One example is agroforestry, which brings together agriculture and forestry to improve the nutrient cycle. Another example is the combination of field crops and animal pasturage, which ensures that there is a sufficient supply of organic fertilizer.

However, such measures require investments that smallholders often cannot afford. The costs of soil restoration are estimated at between €30 and €230 per hectare annually. If we consider the fact that millions of the world’s smallholders are still living in extreme poverty, it quickly becomes clear that techno-ecological solutions alone are not enough to help. Social measures are also needed in order to secure the economic basis for these farmers’ livelihoods. An additional problem is that smallholders often do not have secure land tenure rights. And so long as they do not know whether the fields that they are cultivating today will still belong to them tomorrow, there is little reason for them to invest in the long-term protection of the soil.

If we want to save the soil, we also require measures that extend beyond the individual farms. At a municipal level, for example, it makes sense to plan the use of land and water as well as livestock farming in a collective manner—by including everyone who is affected. Thus extensive terraces or stone walls could be constructed. In addition, such planning processes help to strengthen municipal institutions and social structures over the longer term.

Photo credit: CC Mátyás Varga@Flickr.com

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