Soil system status and issues in the Global South

Continuing agricultural "business-as-usual" practices in the Global South will only perpetuate the strong disconnects that exist between agricultural productivity and food security given the current global yield trends. Although global food insecurity still lingers, a greater portion persists in the Global South. The recent Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic coupled with the numerous existential environmental challenges calls for crystallised ideas which will pave the way for more strategic approaches to overcoming food insecurity through soil sustainability. Considering the growing Global South populations and heightened survival challenges such as food security, there is a need to focus on central and direct root causes of ubiquitous declining agricultural productivity and food security. Given the fact that soils support over 90% of all food produced globally and are responsible for over 60% of yield gaps, it is paramount to diagnose existing drivers of poor agricultural productivity, including soils. The Global South needs to learn from sustainable soil systems strategies of the Global North. It is believed that the creation of resilient healthy soil systems through different generations can play overarching roles to overcome the challenges of food insecurity. This chapter analyses the status of soil systems; challenges that restrain the soil systems from delivering the requisite ecosystem services for human, environment, and planet health; and how to create perpetually resilient soil systems to sustain the delivery of ecosystem services. The proposed approaches to enhance resilient soil systems are linked to both practical and institutional commitments. The practical approaches are recommended for specific agroecological and cultural zones given the diverse potentials for agricultural productivity within the Global South. Perhaps, this could be a new paradigm for change if all stakeholders pledge consciousness, are intentional, and guarantee willingness to the course.