Soils and international development
This page is no longer updated. The information presented here formed part of our previous areas of research. This has included research carried out on behalf of our research partners, commerical contracts and also the Scottish Goverment's Strategic research programme during the period 2011 - 2016.
We have left these pages here to provide background information on our previous areas of research. Further details on the RESAS strategic programme of research (2016-21) will be made available.
Further details on why we archive pages can be found on the following page.
Agricultural land makes up 70% of the value of natural capital in low-income countries (World Bank “Where is the Wealth of Nations”). Warren Evans, Director Environment Department, The World Bank, wrote: “The conclusion is clear – the most important natural asset for the poorest countries is agricultural soil. How these soils are managed and their productivity enhanced and maintained will have a critical impact on rural poverty and economic growth.” We conduct a wide range of international projects with the aim to increase food production by improving the management of soil.
One of our experts on soil management, Dr Blair McKenzie, visited the remote kingdom of Bhutan to advise on agricultural practices. A training project between The James Hutton Institute, European partners, Nepal and China helped train the next generation of soil scientists on ways to work between disciplines to reach the ultimate goal of protecting the environment and addressing food security.
This research was funded by the Scottish Government RESAS Strategic Research 2011-2016.
