Soils are a key asset of natural capital as they provide numerous ecosystems services, including water regulation, nutrient cycling, and carbon storage. Yet their valuation is often overlooked as few ecosystems services flow directly from soils to goods or human benefits. The most prominent economic value that soils deliver is in the range of functions that support crop growth and food production. Soils are also intrinsically linked with multiple impact drivers including greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution, and flood/drought mitigation. This makes identification of metrics to monitor and manage soil natural capital both challenging and critical.
This publication addresses the need for soil natural capital guidance in the agri-food sector by mapping the links between soil and the benefits derived. It identifies what is needed to manage soil natural capital throughout the agri-food value chain—from farm to shelf. It reviews how existing methods can be used to value soil natural capital and defines key gaps in knowledge to be addressed by future research to help provide a roadmap for soil natural capital valuation in agri-business.