ABSTRACT
This chapter starts by noting the parallel and converging policies that promote support for Biological Management of Soils (BMS). The biological management of soils has moved to the forefront among the recommended responses for dealing with some of the most substantial policy challenges that governments face, including combating the spread of land degradation, reducing rural poverty, countering the effects of climate change, protecting watersheds, and conserving biodiversity. Climate change places increasing stress on soils through more frequent droughts and increasing desertification. The stresses on global supply chains for phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium as well as growing concern about the methane emissions that result from nitrogen fertilizers have led to greater interest in the development of alternatives to current reliance on inorganic fertilizers. Promotion of effective BMS thus needs to address and reduce the perceived costs of using these resources and to inform farmers more thoroughly about the benefits therefrom.
