Use of Solar Bio-Fermenters for Nutrition and Soil Health Management

Declining soil health and biodiversity loss, rising input costs, and decreasing fertilizer effectiveness all point to a common potential solution: a transition to more sustainable systems of agriculture, with reduced dependence on chemical-based inputs.
A key enabler in this transition can be the utilisation of biofermenters for producing high quality biological inputs on farm. It helps to restore soil ecosystems, increase farmers’ resilience to climate change, and to reduce dependence on market-sourced inputs. Implementing complementary practices such as intercropping and mulching further enhances these benefits.
However, the manual preparation of biological inputs is labour-intensive, time-consuming, and often unpleasant due to strong odours. To overcome these adoption barriers, the Green Innovation Centres – India piloted a solar-powered bio-fermenter for apple farmers in Himachal Pradesh. The solution reduces labour cost, improves input quality, and supports a broader, farmer-led transition to natural farming.

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Forest, River, Field, and Sea in Communities of Xinwu, Taoyuan

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FMNR is central to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and is key to improving life for millions of children and their communities worldwide. It is an approach that currently is being applied for different programmes and projects such as the Restore Africa Project as well as others that focus on sustainable livelihoods.

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Temperate Rainforest Restoration Programme on the West Coast of the UK and on the Isle of Man

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DEEP BED FARMING (DBF) FOR ENHANCED AGRICULTURAL LAND RESTORATION

Tiyeni empowers Malawian farmers with Deep Bed Farming (DBF), a climate resilient method that boosts crop yields, improves water retention, and restores degraded soils, also known as Biointensive Gardening in other countries. By breaking the hardpan layer, DBF enhances soil fertility, reducing erosion and increasing food security. Since 2013, Tiyeni has trained over 15,000 farmers, with many achieving full food security and seeing a nearly ninefold profitability increase in their first year. The approach is sustainable, using a peer-to-peer model, whereby Lead Farmers train others, ensuring long-term adoption. This decentralized system strengthens communities and supports environmental restoration. Farmers who embrace DBF witness healthier soils and more resilient farms, proving its effectiveness in tackling Malawi’s food and climate challenges. The demand for DBF is growing, as more farmers see its benefits and request training, making it a transformative solution for agricultural sustainability and land restoration.

Reintroduction of Crayfish in the Sihlwald Forest Reserve

Crayfish used to be widespread in Switzerland. However, the four native species are now under severe pressure threatened by habitat loss and invasive species, including crayfish plague. Crayfish play an important role in the aquatic ecosystem. As omnivores, they break down dead plants or the remains of dead fish, for example. They also serve as food for numerous animals, including larger fish such as pike, as well as foxes, otters, martens and herons.

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LUCHECHE TREE PLANTATION COOPERATIVE FOR IMPROVED LIVELIHOODS

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