“There is nobody on the planet who’s against (enhancing soil organic content)- not fertilizer industries, not pesticide industries…everybody is for it because rich soil is the fundamental of rich life for us. Healthy soil and healthy life are inextricably connected,” said Sadhguru, Founder-Isha Foundation, speaking on the Wisdom Panel at the Future of Cities event at the World Economic Forum 2022 in Davos.

In a brief but impassioned appeal to representatives from more than 150 countries who were in attendance at the event, Sadhguru spoke about the critical need to regenerate soil health to make it remunerative for farmers to continue to farm their lands in the interest of food security, to reduce migratory exodus into cities and to ensure long-term planetary wellbeing.

Sadhguru also outlined his idea of One Building City to reclaim degraded lands. He said builders should consider decongesting cities by moving to the peripheries where land is abundant and developing it partially for human habitation. He proposed a built-up area of 1 acre on a 50-acre plot. “You can build 50 to 100 floors – remaining 49 acres will be completely eco-friendly (with) forests, enough agriculture; if you wish, you can grow enough fruits and vegetables that you need for this community,” he said explaining the concept. “Up to 10,000 people can live in this city; we cap (it at) 10,000” he added terming cities with 10 million population “a mess”.

Sadhguru said that “72% of the world’s
investment is in 31 cities on the planet” making urban centers not only a magnet for migration but also “more and more chaotic and senseless”. He called for urbanizing rural areas by shifting investment from its present congested concentration in urban centers.
Other speakers on the Wisdom Panel included Helena Gualinga an Ecuadorian environmental and human rights activist from the Kichwa Sarayaku community in Pastaza, Ecuador; and Dr. Deepak Chopra, founder of The Chopra Foundation, a non-profit entity for research on well-being and humanitarianism.

Sadhguru is currently on a 100-day 30,000 km lone motorcycle journey through Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East to press for global consensus on policy-driven action to save soil from extinction. Soon after speaking at Davos, Sadhguru left to resume his journey in the Middle East and will ride into Oman today.
65 days into his journey that began on 21st March from London, Sadhguru has held 467 events around the world bringing together political, business and cultural leaders globally to speak in one voice to save soil. Till date, 72 nations have supported the movement, agreeing to act to save soil.

His global movement to save soil from extinction comes in the wake of alarming degradation of fertile soils across the world, posing a clear and present threat to global food and water security. The United Nations has warned that at current rates of soil degradation, 90% of the earth could turn into desert by 2050- less than three decades from now.​