Extract paras 46-52 of the Report from FAO on its policies, programmes and activities on agricultural biological diversity: (1) sectorial matters

46. FAO’s Soil and Plant Nutrition Management Service has played a lead role under the framework of the agricultural biodiversity programme of work of the CBD, to improve understanding of the importance of soil biodiversity and soil ecosystem management for sustainable and productive agriculture. FAO is proposing an integrated ecological approach, examining soil-water-crop interactions in various farming systems, and how to enhance the roles of different functional groups.

47. FAO’s Soil and Plant Nutrition Service supports activities in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East/North Africa, through Regular Programme support and extra-budgetary resources to the sum of some US$ 2 423 000 in 2000-2001, for soil productivity and land resources management. The FAO-Netherlands Partnership Programme (FNPP) on agricultural biodiversity, together with the Regular Programme, is enhancing the capacity of FAO to support Member Countries to more effectively address soil biodiversity/soil ecosystem management as an integrated aspect of soil productivity and sustainable agricultural systems. The soil biodiversity component includes: improved information, awareness and networking, the development and use of training materials, case studies and tools for monitoring soil health, and sharing technical knowledge and experiences and priority setting. The soil biodiversity support was initiated in 2001 with US$ 76 000 and is expected to reach US$ 312 000 in 2002.

48. Papers on soil biodiversity and sustainable agriculture were prepared by FAO and submitted to the Fifth Session of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific Technical and Technological Advice, November 2001, and subsequently to the Sixth Meeting of the Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, April 2002. In decision VI/5, the Conference of the Parties decided to establish an International Initiative for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Soil Biodiversity as a cross-cutting initiative within the programme of work on agricultural biodiversity, and invited the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and other relevant organizations, to facilitate and coordinate this initiative. A document based on the paper that was provided to the Sixth Conference of the Parties will be put at the disposal of the Commission.

49. Initial work has been to collect and share information, knowledge and experiences, and to identify gaps, constraints and opportunities for promoting improved soil ecosystem management. A framework on soil biological management was prepared to set the scope and directions for actions, networking and partnerships on improving soil biodiversity/ecosystem management for sustainable agriculture. Case studies are being collected and information on relevant activities and expertise has been compiled, and networking initiated among institutions working on soil biological management. The outputs are presented in a soil biodiversity portal and through a newsletter called Roottalk.

50. The next step is to enhance the application of improved techniques through capacity-building and collaboration among those working on different aspects of soil biological management. Participatory processes to test and adapt improved techniques for specific farming systems are being developed. FAO and EMBRAPA jointly organized an International Technical Workshop on Biological Management of Soil Ecosystems for Sustainable Agriculture, 24-27 June 2002, hosted by EMBRAPA-Soja, Londrina, Brazil. Experts shared experiences focusing on technical assessments and monitoring, adaptive management, and innovation and risk alleviation. The expected outcomes include agreed partnerships, networking and actions for the development and use of practical guidelines, training materials and the adaptation of improved technologies, building on existing experiences and expertise.

51. It is recognized that the conservation and sustainable use of soil biodiversity requires approaches that address agriculture and farmers’ fields as complex, living systems. Moreover, improved soil ecosystem management requires farmer-centred approaches and close collaboration among soil specialists, integrated pest managers, moisture conservation experts, and livestock and pasture managers. FAO, working with interested partners, aims to prioritize the identification and promotion of field activities that integrate soil biological management into agricultural programmes and projects, with a focus on empowering farmers through participatory technology development processes. The Farmer Field School approach, first developed for integrated pest management, is being piloted for soil productivity improvement, with a focus on soil biological management, including nutrient recycling and restoration, pest and disease control and soil moisture management.

52. In view of the fact that the work on this area is essentially supported through extra-budgetary means, the advice of the Commission is invited regarding the importance and relevance of the work that has been initiated, and modalities to strengthen and mainstream work on soil biodiversity and healthy soil ecosystems in the work of FAO’s Land and Plant Nutrition Service, and through the integrated ecosystem approaches of the Agriculture Department.

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