ORF-E
German
1 x 52 min

The top layer of the Earth’s crust is fertile soil and in some places – like a thin skin – only a few centimeters thick. In Central Europe, it takes about 100 years for a single centimeter of new soil to be formed. Once it is lost at a location, it is difficult to restore – the soil becomes barren, dries out, is blown away by the wind, cannot retain water, erodes, and is washed away. Healthy soil is an important habitat and a prerequisite for human existence. In the documentary by Claudia and Peter Giczy, farmers, scientists, and urban planners speak about their work to promote soil health. They breed earthworms and focus on building humus. They unseal paved areas and search for methods against erosion, flooding, or drought. They live off the yield of small micro-farms and make their operations available as Lighthouse Farms for science. The film takes us on a journey from the lush green landscapes of Austria’s Tullnerfeld to the sun-scorched fields in Spain’s Murcia. We accompany Alfred Grand, a pioneer of regenerative agriculture in Austria, and Yanniek Schoonhove, his colleague in Spain, in their work on their innovative farms. We also meet researcher Gernot Bodner, a “soil doctor” who cares for the patient soil like a doctor.