Overview
About World Soil Day
World Soil Day is held annually on 5 December as a means to focus attention on the importance of healthy soil and advocating for the sustainable management of soil resources.
World Soil Day 2024 Theme
The theme for the World Soil Day celebration this year is “Caring for Soils: Measure, Monitor, Manage“, underscoring the importance of accurate soil data and information in understanding soils characteristics and supporting informed decision-making on sustainable soil management for food security.
This page will allow you to learn more about soil and soil health, link to other soil-focused resources and organizations, and learn about the activities that Mud Valley Institute will be presenting throughout the week as we take part in World Soil Day 2024.
Did you know?
%
of our food comes from soils
There are more living organisms in a tablespoon of soil than people on Earth
Over the last 70 years, the level of vitamins and nutrients in food has drastically decreased.
%
of soils are degraded
Up to half of our household waste could be composted to nurture our soil.
What You Can Do at Home to Improve Soil Health
Create compost from food waste, grass clipping or plant debris:
1
The Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Composting
asustainablelife.co.uk
The Easiest
Way to Start Composting Now
learn.eartheasy.com
How to
Compost in an Apartment
learn.eartheasy.com
Cover soils with woody mulches and cover crops to help the soil retain moisture more effectively, make it more difficult for weeds to germinate and grow, and increase soil microbial flora.
2
Avoid using chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Learn about and use organic products to improve and maintain soil and plant health.
3
Do basic testing to understand your soil’s health:
4
Soil Week Activities
at Mud Valley Institute
and Quinta Vale da Lama
Monday, 2 December
Ecosystem Regeneration Mondays
The final day of our non-residential, regenerative education program focuses on healthy soils and indigenous microorganisms. Participants will be introduced to soil science, learning what makes and keeps soils healthy, and learning to make biofertilizer from indigenous microorganisms.
The Ecosystem Regeneration Mondays program is presented in association with our partners Novas Descobertas Association and Quinta Vale da Lama.
Tuesday, 3 december
Tuesdays of Regen Volunteer Program
This weekly program takes place at Quinta Vale da Lama and allows participants the opportunity to learn about and gain hands-on experience in regenerative agriculture and ecosystem restoration. The session on 3 December will focus on soils and composting.
The Tuesdays of Regen volunteer program is presented in association with our partner Quinta Vale da Lama.
Thursday, 5 december
BGA Soil Day
Thirty students from Brave Generation Academy in Lagos will visit Quinta Vale da Lama for a full day of learning and hands-on experiences devoted to soil and the role it plays in a healthy ecosystem. This customized educational program has been developed by Mud Valley Institute and Novas Descobertas Association to expose BGA learners to an example of the real-world application of some of the themes and topics they are studying.
The BGA Soil Day is presented in association with our partners Novas Descobertas Association and Quinta Vale da Lama.
More info about BGA Soil Day
BGA Soil Day will:
- Give an overview of what ecosystem regeneration is and why it is important, and show regeneration in action,
- Educate about the importance of healthy soils and their role in maintaining healthy ecosystems, how we can create them, and offer practical experiences working with soils,
- Show a real-world application of some of the concepts learners are studying in biology, chemistry, maths, and ecological management, and how all these areas tie together holistically,
- Highlight the career path of the soil scientist who will be facilitating the program, so learners can get an understanding of how one can pursue similar roles as they consider university and careers.
This full day experience will feature:
- A guided tour of Quinta Vale da Lama, highlighting the different areas of the farm and the regeneration work being done there,
- Interactive workshops in the morning to educate on soil science, water biology and the water cycle, and biodiversity,
- Additional programs in the afternoon focused on practical application of soil science work, including one program about data collection, monitoring, and analysis of soil health, and one about soil creation and planting of vegetation in healthy soils. These programs will let learners “get their hands dirty” out in the field.
Interested in creating a program like this for your class, school, or group? Send us an email and let’s chat!
Saturday, 7 december
Saturdays at the Farm – Soil Health
Saturdays at the Farm is a free monthly program offering a guided farm tour and themed workshops focused on our local ecosystem near Lagos, Portugal. This expanded version will feature extra sessions, including a composting workshop, watching a soil-health focused documentary, and a panel-discussion about soil health challenges we face in the western Algarve. We will also host a variety of family-friendly and children’s activities throughout the day to keep everyone entertained.
Links and resources
You can learn more and find additional resources at the links below:
↑ Includes graphics, hands on activities for kids, and publications (written and video links)
English 
Portuguese