Caribbean Nations Come on Board Save Soil Movement

Six Caribbean nations took the historic first step of signing memorandums of understanding with Conscious Planet founder and leader Sadhguru in an expression of impassioned commitment to the Save Soil movement, an effort to address the crisis of soil extinction. The momentous signings with Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, Guyana and Barbados took place during the Save Soil team’s four-day, first-of-its-kind multi-island Caribbean tour—a much celebrated occasion paving the way for the movement’s official 100-day journey launch where Sadhguru will ride a lone motorcycle across 27 nations starting from London on March 21. Trinbagonian singer Machel Montano played a critical role in garnering the backing of Caribbean leadership and citizenry for this movement. The “King of Soca” shared an emphatic dedication to using his music as “a platform to reach as many people with the critical message to Save Soil.” 

The nation leaders demonstrated an unequivocal willingness to restore and protect soils by instituting soil-friendly practices, echoing resounding praise for the movement’s timely global vision and resonant concern for food security, climate change, and geographical vulnerability.

In acknowledgment and applause of their heartening support, Sadhguru affirmed that “these small nations, these pearls in the ocean, [can] make that turn around” and demonstrate that every nation can and must save its soil in the interest of all future life on the planet. Stressing on the significance of Caribbean leadership to unite in response to the looming threat of soil degradation and the importance of this generational responsibility to enact a collaborative, sustained global response, Sadhguru asserted: “Leadership is in the size of your vision, not in the size of the nation. This [ecological effort] is one of the most vital things we will do in our generation,” adding the importance of the message to the young generation and future generations that “soil is a living entity.”

Honorable Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, spoke of his “pleasure to participate in this initiative to sign this memorandum of understanding with Conscious Planet as we [support] the Save Soil movement. The issue of soil degradation, which could potentially become soil extinction, is a significant threat to the planet. Over 30 years ago, when climate change was identified as a significant threat, it was small island states in the Caribbean that were in the forefront of this fight. It is instructive that, 30 plus years later, it is the very Caribbean small island states that are now seeking to drive this process of saving our soil from extinction.”

Prime Minister of Dominica, Roosevelt Skerrit shared his “absolute support” for the Save Soil initiative, with conviction that “agriculture holds the promise [to] feed the society [and] all people. We have to recognize that the soil is in fact the most important element on earth.”

Prime Minister of St. Lucia, Philip J. Pierre explained that his country “is at a stage where we need to revive our agriculture” and that “this initiative will suit us very well.”

Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Timothy Harris expressed his commendations “to bring this initiative to the Caribbean region” noting its “critical importance for the sustainability of all life on Earth.”

Prime Minister Mottley echoed the movement’s critical relevance, adding that Barbados is “one of the 15 most water-scarce countries,” something many do not realize. “By 2050, if we don't make the decisions now, we will not reach there safely. This conversation is very timely, because it's trying to change generations of citizens who have come to believe that everything is instantaneous.”

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) predicts that soil extinction could become a reality if soil degradation continues at present rates. Moreover, the FAO estimates that all the world’s topsoil could become extinct in 60 years. By 2045, food production may drop by 40% as the population crosses 9.3 billion. 

The Save Soil movement is an effort to draw the attention and support of 3.5 billion people worldwide to inspire policy-driven changes to combat soil extinction. The movement aims to activate soil revitalization strategies, securing soil quality by raising the minimum requirement of organic content in soil to 3-6%.

Sadhguru presented the Caribbean Heads of State with a resolution, Soil Revitalization - Global Policy Draft & Solutions Handbook, which was created in consultation with top scientists in the world considering each region’s latitude, climate, economic conditions, and traditional agricultural practices in an urgent and unifying initiative to restore soil health.