As South Africa prepares to host the International Day for Biological Diversity 2026 Global Flagship Event on Friday, 22 May, the world’s attention turns to a country celebrated for its sweeping landscapes, rich ecosystems, and iconic wildlife. From savannas to fynbos biomes, South Africa is globally recognised as a biodiversity hotspot. But while the focus is often on what we can see above ground, the true foundation of this natural wealth lies beneath our feet, in our soils.
“International Day for Biological Diversity is a call for everyone to take action to halt and reverse biodiversity loss with the message that protecting biodiversity close to home can have positive ripple effects that reach far beyond,” says Brian Küsel, Director of BiobiN South Africa. “Our call to action is to conserve our soils through composting. It’s a simple yet powerful action that protects the foundation of all biodiversity.”
The most biodiverse habitat
A 2023 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) journal found that is the world’s soils are home to an estimated 59% of all life on the planet. For South Africa, where both agriculture and ecological conservation face mounting pressure, what happens in the soil has direct consequences for everything that depends on it.
Soil biodiversity forms the foundation of healthy ecosystems. A single handful of soil holds a complex web of fungi, bacteria, invertebrates, and plant root systems working together to cycle nutrients, retain water, and support plant growth. This biological activity is sustained by organic matter from decomposed remains of plants, food, and other natural materials. When organic matter is depleted, the system begins to fail. Microbial life declines, soil structure weakens, and the capacity to support crops and natural vegetation diminishes.
“In South Africa, the pressures on our soils are mounting. Approximately 58% of soils contain less than 0.5% organic carbon, a key indicator of soil health, while an estimated 40% of soils across Africa are considered degraded. These figures point to a steady erosion of the very systems that sustain food production, biodiversity, and climate resilience,” adds Küsel.
At the same time, large volumes of organic material are being diverted away from this biological cycle. When food waste and other organic materials are sent to landfill, they are effectively removed from the system that depends on them. Instead of replenishing soils, they generate methane and contribute to environmental strain at landfill sites.
This is where closing the loop on organic waste becomes one of the most important actions we can collectively take.
Innovative technology
BiobiN enables businesses to manage organic waste directly at source through on-site composting systems that capture and transform food and organic material into nutrient-rich compost. Rather than transporting waste to landfill, organic matter is kept within the local system, where it can be returned to soil and put back to work.
The compost produced can be used in landscaping, agriculture, or local food systems, rebuilding soil structure and replenishing the microbial life that biodiversity depends on. In doing so, businesses move from waste disposal to resource stewardship, playing a direct role in strengthening the ecosystems around them.
This shift reframes organic waste management entirely. It is no longer just an operational or compliance issue, but a tangible intervention in soil health, and the ecosystem.
This International Day for Biological Diversity, the message is simple: protecting biodiversity starts in the soil and in the everyday decisions we make about how we manage organic waste.