Understanding Soil Health for Sustainable Agriculture: Principles and Practice
Build a practical and science-based understanding of soil health
and learn how healthy soils support resilient food systems,
productive agriculture, and sustainable ecosystems.
✓ Self-paced learning
✓ Practical activities
✓ Digital certificate
◎
Course overview
About this course
Soil health is under increasing pressure worldwide, yet it remains
essential for food production, ecosystem stability, and human
well-being. This e-learning course offers a practical and
science-based understanding of soil health and its critical role in
supporting food security, economic stability, inclusivity, and
environmental resilience.
Learn how to develop and implement sustainable soil health strategies
grounded in ecological principles and responsive to social and
economic contexts. The course emphasizes practical approaches to
improving and harnessing soil function for better yields, efficient
resource use, and long-term sustainability.
Enroll today and build your skills to make a measurable impact on soil
health and agricultural resilience.
♟
Target participants
Who should take this course?
This course is designed for agricultural practitioners, extension
workers, researchers, development professionals, and policymakers
who are engaged in or interested in sustainable agriculture and
soil management.
It is also suitable for educators and students seeking to
strengthen their understanding of soil health principles and their
application in real-world contexts. Participants will benefit from
practical, science-based insights that support improved soil
function, enhanced productivity, and long-term environmental
sustainability.
Agricultural practitioners
Extension workers
Researchers
Development professionals
Policymakers
Educators
Students
♣
Acknowledgements
Course contributors
International Rice Research Institute EducationIRRI Education
CGIARSustainable Farming Science Program
International Institute of Tropical AgricultureIITA
★
Course facilitator
Meet our expert
Subject matter expert
Dr. Frank Rasche
Soil Health Scaling Expert
Dr. Frank Rasche is a soil health scaling expert supporting IITA
in developing a comprehensive roadmap to expand soil health
initiatives. He brings over 20 years of interdisciplinary
research experience as an agroecologist specializing in soil
ecology, with expertise in microbiomes, metabolomes, and
plant-soil interactions.
His work focuses on integrated soil fertility management, soil
carbon sequestration, biological pest and disease control, heavy
metal remediation, and erosion mitigation, with more than 100
peer-reviewed publications. He also serves as an associate
professor of soil ecology at the University of Hohenheim,
Germany, and holds a PhD in agricultural sciences from BOKU,
Vienna.
Soil health
Agroecology
Soil molecular and microbial ecology
Plant-microbe interactions
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Latest revision: August 13, 2026
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