When we talk about revolutions in agriculture, most people think of giant machines, chemicals, and industrial breakthroughs. But as someone building the next chapter of sustainable farming, I always come back to this idea: the future of food starts with the soil under our feet.
Birmingham once sparked the Industrial Revolution, changing everything with steam power and mass production. It solved huge problems of its time – including food shortages – but it also left us with environmental damage we’re still trying to fix today. That history isn’t just interesting to me; it’s a reminder. Progress without sustainability always catches up with us.
And now here we are, facing climate change, soil depletion, water pollution, and a fast-growing global population. We don’t need another industrial boom – we need a new kind of revolution. One that nourishes the planet instead of exhausting it. One that brings life back to the soil, rather than stripping it away.
For me, that revolution is organic, circular agriculture. And it starts with rethinking fertiliser.
At Lohas, I spend my days turning what most people see as waste into something incredibly valuable. Organic fertilisers can come from things like livestock manure, crop leftovers, food by-products and biomass – and with the right science and technology, they become a rich, powerful resource for soil.
What I love about this work is that it’s not just about feeding plants. It’s about healing soil, restoring natural cycles, and putting carbon back into the ground where it belongs. It’s about:
● restoring soil structure and fertility
● recycling nutrients instead of losing them into rivers and streams
● lowering carbon emissions and cutting reliance on fossil-fuel-based inputs
We’re not “just making fertiliser”. We’re transforming waste into life again. I always say: if we want resilient crops, healthy food, and a stable climate, we have to start with healthy soil.
If the steam engine once powered industry, today organic fertilisers can power circular agriculture. This isn’t a niche idea – it’s a real, scalable solution that strengthens food security, protects nature, and builds a sustainable economy for farming communities.
To make that happen, here’s what I believe we need to do:
Start local – Work with farms and food producers to turn their waste into fertiliser, prove the results in real fields, and tackle pollution at the source.
Scale regionally – Create circular agriculture parks where communities process organic
material and return nutrients to the land.
Embed nationally – Integrate organic fertiliser into food security and carbon-reduction strategies, with incentives, standards, and research.
Grow globally – Share knowledge and technology with regions where sustainable food systems are urgently needed.
This journey isn’t just science or logistics – it’s a mindset shift. It’s choosing regeneration over extraction, partnership over waste, and long-term nourishment over quick gains.
More than 200 years ago, Birmingham sparked a revolution that reshaped the world. Today, I believe we are at the starting point of another – one rooted not in smoke and steel, but in soil, microbes, and renewal.
When I stand at our site and watch organic waste become clean, safe, nutrient-rich fertiliser in hours, I see more than a production process. I see a future where farming strengthens ecosystems, where pollution becomes a resource, and where growth and sustainability finally work hand in hand.
That’s the revolution I’m proud to be part of.
And it starts, quite simply, with giving back to the soil.
Pictured above: Dr.-Chiu-Chung-Young
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