For two days in September 2018, InEuropa staff traveled to the farm Aarde-Werk de Stegge in Winterswijk-Kotten, Netherlands. The farm is a local partner with Global Action Plan Netherlands, and is one of the non-GAP International entities they point to as a shining example of practical sustainability in action.
Aarde-Werk offered us the “International Course on Soils and Soil Fertility”, introducing us to the issue of soil functions and degradation. We discovered how degraded soil can be restored at a local level, learning about the food forest method that the farm uses and the strip-grazing technique adopted by Allan Savory in Zimbabwe. We implemented practical exercises on soil quality, developing new skills like measuring soil pH and structure and studying indicator plants.
The course helped us understand simple, everyday activities for soil restoration. Through the information given to us at Aarde-Werk, we believe that soil can be an inspiring new theme for behaviour change programmes within the GAP International network.
