In major global debates about climate change, public attention is directed almost exclusively toward renewable energy, emission reductions, and green technologies. We see solar panels, wind turbines, and climate policies discussed at the international level. Yet one of the most important resources for the planet’s future remains almost invisible: soil.

Given that beneath our feet lies a living, complex, and fragile ecosystem whose health supports agriculture, biodiversity, and climate balance, the BIOservicES project aims to understand better how soil organisms contribute to the ecosystem’s essential functions and services. Through 60 months of research and innovation, the project is developing tools and digital models to support the adoption of management practices tailored to local conditions, designed to increase soil resilience and promote their sustainable use in the face of climate and environmental challenges.

For Azadeh Farajpour, founder of the startup betterSoil and one of the youngest members of the Club of Rome, soil health represents one of the most important strategic challenges of the 21st century. Raised in a family of farmers in Iran, she now connects scientific research, regenerative agriculture, and climate policy through a systemic vision of the future.

“I grew up with soil before I studied it”

Azadeh Farajpour’s story begins in a deeply personal way. She grew up in an agricultural environment, surrounded by pomegranate orchards and the subsistence crops her grandparents cultivated. Yet during that time, soil held no special meaning for her.

“I grew up with soil before I studied it. Soil didn’t seem special back then. It was simply part of life,” she recalls.

Her perspective changed when she decided to study agriculture. Her mother, who had left rural life to become a nurse, always associated farming with poverty and hard work. It was precisely this contradiction that led Azadeh to ask herself a fundamental question: why does agriculture, despite being essential to society, so often leave farmers economically vulnerable?

“When I decided to study agriculture, I think I was trying to answer a personal question: why does farming so often lead to poverty, and could it be different?” she says.

During her studies and international work, she came to understand that soil sits at the intersection of major global challenges: food security, climate change, biodiversity loss, and water management.

Soil and climate resilience: more than an environmental issue

Her experience in international climate and development projects profoundly changed her perspective on soil health. For Azadeh Farajpour, soil degradation is not merely an environmental issue but one that directly affects communities, economies, and social stability.

“Soil health is not only an environmental topic. It is deeply connected to social justice, food systems, livelihoods, and the resilience of communities,” she explains.

In regions dependent on agriculture, land degradation means far more than declining productivity. It means lower incomes, food insecurity, migration pressure, and greater vulnerability to extreme climate events.

At the same time, Azadeh emphasizes that soil can become part of the climate solution: “Healthy soils can store carbon, retain water, support biodiversity, and reduce dependence on external inputs. They help farmers and communities become more resilient.”

betterSoil: from frustration to action

The idea behind betterSoil emerged from a combination of frustration and hope. During her master’s studies and work at a research institute, Azadeh Farajpour realized that sufficient scientific knowledge already existed on soil degradation and regenerative practices. The real problem was the lack of implementation.

“What frustrated me most was not the lack of knowledge. The problem was the gap between what we know and what we actually do,” she says.

This realization led to the creation of betterSoil – an initiative built on two complementary directions. Its non-profit component is dedicated to research and public awareness regarding soil loss. At the same time, its commercial branch demonstrates that regenerative practices can also be profitable for farmers and relevant for companies.

“We need to stop seeing soil as something passive and start treating it as the living foundation of our future,” Azadeh states.

Soil as “climate infrastructure”

One of the key concepts promoted by Azadeh Farajpour is that of soil as “climate infrastructure.” Soil is not merely an agricultural surface but a living infrastructure that provides essential services to society.

“Soil is the planet’s largest carbon reservoir after the oceans. An enormous amount of carbon is sleeping beneath our feet,” she explains.

In addition, healthy soils absorb and retain large quantities of water, reduce erosion, and help ecosystems withstand extreme climate events.

“We think of infrastructure as something built from concrete and steel. But soil is a living, dynamic, and regenerative infrastructure – if we take care of it,” says Azadeh.

Why does soil health remain underestimated?

In the global climate debate, energy and emissions dominate the public agenda. Soil, however, remains almost invisible because its processes are slow, biological, and difficult to observe directly.

“Soil is often invisible. Its processes take place quietly, beneath our feet,” Azadeh explains.

She believes society has historically treated soil as a simple production surface rather than a living ecosystem.

“Soil does much more than produce food. It regulates water, stores carbon, supports biodiversity, and sustains life itself,” she says.

The invisible biodiversity beneath our feet

For Azadeh Farajpour, one of the most important topics of discussion is belowground biodiversity. Soil hosts bacteria, fungi, insects, earthworms, and countless other organisms that sustain fundamental life processes.

“More than half of global biodiversity lives beneath our feet, in the soil,” Azadeh Farajpour emphasizes.

These organisms contribute to nutrient cycling, plant health, soil structure, and water regulation. When soil biodiversity is damaged, ecosystems become more fragile and less able to respond to climate stress.

To communicate the importance of soil more effectively, Azadeh believes that more than data and indicators are needed.

“We need to make the invisible visible,” she says, adding: “People protect what they understand and what makes them feel they belong to that system.”

Soil health and the economy

Azadeh Farajpour insists that soil degradation is not only an environmental risk but also an economic one. Companies that depend on agriculture and stable food supply chains are directly exposed to the effects of land degradation.

“Soil degradation is not only an environmental risk. It is a business risk,” she states.

In her view, investments in soil health should be understood as investments in long-term economic stability.

“Healthy soil is not a cost. It is the foundation of resilient businesses,” says Azadeh.

The role of European projects such as BIOservicES

In the context of these challenges, European projects such as BIOservicES play an essential role in bridging research and implementation.

Such initiatives bring together researchers, land managers, policymakers, and economic actors to develop shared tools and approaches for soil biodiversity and ecosystem services.

“The real value of such projects lies not only in producing knowledge, but in helping society use that knowledge,” Azadeh explains.

An optimism grounded in responsibility and action

Looking ahead, Azadeh Farajpour remains optimistic, though she speaks of an “active optimism” based on responsibility and systemic change.

“Regeneration is possible. But it begins with awareness, respect, and action,” she says.

She already sees encouraging signs: farmers adopting regenerative practices, researchers exploring soil biodiversity, and companies realizing that economic resilience depends on ecosystem resilience.

Her message to young researchers and professionals is clear: “The world does not only need more knowledge. It needs people who can transform knowledge into action.”

At a time when climate change is becoming increasingly visible and impossible to ignore, soil health can no longer remain a marginal topic. Soil is not just the ground on which we grow food. It is the living foundation that sustains biodiversity, economies, and society’s future.

*This article is part of the Key Opinion Leaders campaign developed within the BIOservicES project, an initiative aimed at connecting the research and academic expertise generated by the project with real business and real-life cases. Through the voices of relevant experts in soil health, the campaign seeks to bring the consortium’s expertise closer to the wider public and to turn scientific concepts related to soil biodiversity, regeneration, and climate resilience into accessible, meaningful conversations.