The International Compost Alliance (ICA) launched a global call to action during the International Compost Awareness Week 2026, urging governments, industry, educators and households to recognise compost as a strategic resource for soil health, food production and climate resilience.
Held from May 3-9th, this year’s theme was Compost! Feed the Soil that Feeds Us. It focused on the role compost plays in returning organic matter and nutrients back into soils, supporting the natural systems that underpin food production.
The campaign arrived as agricultural industries around the world face increasing pressure from rising fertiliser costs, supply chain uncertainty and growing concerns around land degradation and climate resilience. Against that backdrop, the ICA said compost should be viewed as more than waste diversion tool, positioning it instead as an increasingly important source of nutrients and carbon for soils.
John McKew, national executive officer of the Australian Organics Recycling Association (AORA), speaking on behalf of the ICA, said the value of compost extends well beyond keeping organics out of landfill.
“Compost is often discussed in terms of diverting waste, but a more important value is in what it gives back,” he said. “It contains valuable nutrients, supports soil biology, improves soil structure and water retention, and helps reduce reliance on the increasingly volatile economics of external inputs such as mineral fertilisers.”
The message sat at the centre of this year’s International Compost Awareness Week, with ICA members highlighting composting as a practical way to recover value from food and garden organics and return it to productive use in soils, landscapes and food systems.
Returning nutrients to the land
As fertiliser prices fluctuate and global supply chains remain vulnerable to geopolitical and economic pressures, compost is attracting greater attention as a locally available tool for supporting long-term soil fertility and nutrient resilience. Rather than allowing nutrients contained in food scraps and green waste to be lost through landfill or incineration, composting provides a pathway to recover and reuse those materials productively.
“Compost is not a complete replacement for all fertiliser needs in every system, but it is a proven part of the natural solution to feed our soils,” McKew said. “It helps return nutrients already present in our food and green waste back to the land, where they can be used productively rather than lost forever in landfills or incineration.”
The ICA says that nutrient recovery is becoming increasingly important as industries and governments look to strengthen circular economy outcomes and improve resource security.
Compost contributes organic matter as well as nutrients, helping to build healthier soils over time. According to information provided through AORA’s The 6 Cs for Healthy Soils resource, healthy soil systems rely on six interconnected elements: carbon, chemistry, biology, structure, water-holding capacity and groundcover.
Organic matter plays a key role across these areas by supporting soil microbial activity, improving aggregation and assisting soils to retain moisture and nutrients more effectively.
Building resilience in changing conditions
Beyond nutrient supply, compost is increasingly recognised for its role in helping soils cope with environmental pressures such as drought, erosion and land degradation.
Improved soil structure can assist with water infiltration and retention, while increased biological activity supports healthier and more resilient growing systems. These benefits are particularly relevant as many agricultural regions continue to experience changing climate conditions and increasing pressure on water resources.
The ICA said compost can help soils perform more effectively under stress by improving physical, chemical and biological soil functions. This broader contribution was one reason the organisation was encouraging policymakers, local authorities, businesses and the wider community to view organics recycling as part of a more circular and secure future.
International Compost Awareness Week aimed to increase understanding of those benefits through education and community engagement activities across multiple countries.
ICA members and partners hosted public awareness campaigns, workshops, school activities, composting demonstrations, facility tours and community events throughout the week, all designed to highlight compost’s environmental, agricultural and economic value.
The campaign also sought to encourage greater participation in composting programs and wider adoption of compost products across industries and communities.
Applications across industries
AORA also highlighted the broad range of environments where compost can be used effectively, releasing a series of fact sheets covering different applications and sectors. The resources included information on compost use in sporting fields, council parks and gardens, orchards, broadacre farming, viticulture and vegetable production.
These examples demonstrated the versatility of compost products and the range of industries increasingly incorporating organics recycling into land management and soil improvement strategies.
In parks and gardens, compost can help improve soil quality and support plant growth. In agricultural systems, it can contribute to soil fertility, water retention and long-term productivity. In sporting fields, improved soil structure and moisture management can support turf performance and resilience. The fact sheets also outlined compost production processes and product types, helping users better understand how compost is created and applied.
The ICA said increasing awareness of these practical uses was an important part of building stronger support for composting infrastructure and organics recycling systems.
A growing focus on organics recycling
The ICA’s 2026 campaign reflected a broader global interest in recovering value from organic materials and reducing dependence on finite or vulnerable inputs. As governments and industries pursue sustainability, resource recovery and circular economy targets, composting is increasingly being recognised as a practical tool that delivers benefits across waste management, agriculture and environmental outcomes.
For the ICA, the message behind this year’s theme was ultimately straightforward: healthy soils are fundamental to productive food systems, and compost has an important role to play in supporting those soils.
By returning nutrients and organic matter to the land, composting helps close the loop between food production, consumption and resource recovery.