On this episode of Thrive podcast, we sit down with of Dr. Deborah Bossio, the Area Director of Soils Research at the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT). Bossio has spent the last 20 years working at the nexus between soil and social sciences. Based in Kenya, she jointly leads two programs within the CGIAR Water, Land and Ecosystems network. One works on regenerating degraded ecosystems, the other on ecosystems services and resilience, a core theme in WLE.
Bossio’s passion for soils and agriculture developed through her travels and observation of traditional cultures. Her experience gave her a sense of appreciation for communities that maintained a close connection with the land, managing to flourish in even in the harshest of environments. She has since spent her career focused on soil science and believes that the future of agriculture will require a shift to more holistic approaches with a focus on spreading knowledge about best practices, geared towards proper management.
Her work has focused on reinvigorating African soils through sustainable means, a large topic of discussion in the development field. Although some people fear that switching to a more sustainable approach will reduce yields, Bossio explains how agricultural processes can be improved in Africa without sacrificing productivity.
Bossio believes that good resource management requires that approaches are inclusive and holistic. Despite the many complexities and challenges, Deborah is optimistic about the future of soils in Africa and resource management at a global scale. Listen to the podcast to see why.