Advocating for healthy soils
World Soil Day and the International Year of Soil
GSP adopts a systematic awareness raising campaign on how soil relates to people’s everyday lives not only as part of the World Soil Day and the International Year of Soils but also as a sustained long-term outreach/engagement programme.
Glinka World Soil Prize and King Bhumibol WSD Award
The Glinka Prize is addressed to individuals or organizations committed to solving acute problems of soil degradation. The WSD Award is a recognition tool for individuals or institutions that have made an effort to organize successful WSD celebrations.
Communication campaigns
World Soil Day 2016
World Soil Day 2017
World Soil Day 2018
World Soil Day 2019
World Soil Day 2020
Prizes and Awards
Glinka World Soil Prize
Edition 2020 - Nominations CLOSED
Are you a dynamic change-makers against soil degradation? All GSP Partners are invited to nominate individuals or organizations. Winner will be rewarded with a medal and a USD 15 000 check.
Compile the call for nomination and send it to the GSP Secretariat by 30 September 2020
World Soil Day Award
Edition 2020 - Applications CLOSED
If you organized an exciting World Soil Day event for the campaign 2019 'Stop soil erosion, Save our future', don't miss the chance to compete. You can win a medal and a check of USD 15 000.
Compile the call for application and send it to the GSP Secretariat by 30 September 2020
Soil biodiversity contest
Send your photos and time lapse! CLOSED
GSP highlights the importance of protecting mega/macrofauna and meso/microfauna through high-definition pictures or videos. Winners will be rewarded cash prizes of USD 500.
Don't forget to complete the form and send it to the GSOBI20 by 30 June 2020
In action
Keep soil alive for biodiversity
THANK YOU for World Soil Day 2020
The communication campaign under the slogan 'Keep soil alive, Protect soil biodiversity' draws attention to the global issue of soil biodiversity loss and the urgent need for collective efforts for a food secure future.
Symposium on Soil Biodiversity
19 - 22 April 2021, FAO headquarters
The Symposium will provide evidence to support actions to protect soil biodiversity and promote its sustainable management by addressing the causes of loss and enhancing the implementation of sustainable practices at all levels.
Global Soil Doctors programme
Farmer-to-farmer training
The programme provides soil doctors with training, educational material and soil testing kits to build capacity on the principles of soil science and promote the practice of sustainable soil management at local and national level.
Videos
Do you need one of those videos in high definition to display? Just send us an email and we will share it with you.
Beneath our feet
|
World Soil Day - Keep soil alive, Protect soil biodiversity, focuses on soil biodiversity as a key factor to achieve food security, mitigate climate change and improve human health. |
Keep soil alive, protect soil biodiversity
|
Keep soil alive, protect soil biodiversity This animation gives a brief introduction on the main drivers, the key functions and challenges of soil biodiversity loss, indicating possible ways to enhance soil biodiversity as a nature-based solution. English | عربية | 中文 | Français | Pусский | Español | Thai | Portuguese | Italian Short version: English |
Mission: Keep soil alive!
|
Soils are essential for food systems. Healthy soils allow us to grow a variety of food products needed for human nutrition and each of us depends on soil productivity. |
5 reasons why we need to cherish the ground beneath our feet
|
5 reasons why we need to cherish the ground beneath our feet Soils do amazing things for us that we sometimes take for granted. Here are 5 reasons why we need to cherish the ground beneath our feet. |
Soil erosion is threatening our food security
|
Soil erosion is threatening our food security Soil may not look like much but without it we wouldn't be able to produce our food! But soil erosion is threatening our food security. Every 5 seconds the equivalent of one soccer pitch is eroded! Once we lose this soil we won't see it again in our lifetime. If we don't act now, over 90% of the Earth's soils could become degraded by 2050. |
Stop soil erosion, Keep soil where it belongs
|
Stop soil erosion, Keep soil where it belongs Soil erosion poses a major threat to global food security and to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Find out more about the effects of soil erosion and the ways we can prevent it. |
7 things you can do to stop soil pollution
|
7 things you can do to stop soil pollution Let's be the solution to stop soil pollution! |
How can you be the solution to soil pollution?
|
How can you be the solution to soil pollution? Even through your small actions you can contribute to a big goal, to #StopSoilPollution. Reduce, reuse and recycle can help you, your community by improving your health and the health of our soils. Short version: English |
Soil Pollution, a hidden reality
|
Soil Pollution, a hidden reality Soil is a complex growing habitat that remains productive only when it is cared for and nurtured. Combating and addressing soil pollution means assessing and minimizing the risks for food security, human health and the environment. |
The Global Soil Organic Carbon Map V1.0
|
The Global Soil Organic Carbon Map V1.0 The Global Soil Organic Carbon map V1.0 is an important stepping stone to better know the current Soil Organic Carbon stock stored beneath our feet and soils’ potential for further sequestration. |
Soil organic carbon, the treasure beneath our feet
|
Soil organic carbon, the treasure beneath our feet An animated illustration of soil organic carbon and its importance for climate action, food production and sustainable development. |
Soils and pulses, symbiosis for life
|
Soils and Pulses, Symbiosis for Life This short animation introduces the new book “Soils and Pulses: symbiosis for life”. Pulses contribute to soil health, food security and nutrition, and climate change adaptation and mitigation. |
Sustainable soil management and the Sustainable Development Goals
|
Sustainable soil management and the Sustainable Development Goals The Sustainable Development Goals were recently created with a view to achieve sustainable development by 2030. Of the 17 goals, four contain targets specifically related to Soils. This animation looks at some of the challenges we face in each of these goals and presents some of the methods we can use to tackle them. |
Soil: An essential ingredient to healthy food and nutrition
|
Soil: An essential ingredient to healthy food and nutrition Soils are by nature linked to the micronutrient content of our food production and they can help to reverse the increasing trend of nutrient depleted soil by adopting sustainable soil management practices. |
Soils: Our ally against climate change
|
Soils: Our ally against climate change A look at how our Soils help to combat climate change in their role of sequestering CO2, and how our collective habits can damage this benefit with potentially devastating consequences. |
Soil 101
|
Soil 101 is an animated introduction on soils prepared in the framework of the 2015 International Year of Soils. This 2 minutes video outlines the main soil functions and the threats currently facing them. English | العربية | 中文 | Français | Pусский | Español | čeština | |
The Status of the World’s Soil Resources
|
The Status of the World’s Soil Resources The world’s soils are rapidly deteriorating due to soil erosion, nutrient depletion, loss of soil organic carbon, soil sealing and other threats, but this trend can be reversed provided countries take the lead in promoting sustainable management practices and the use of appropriate technologies, according to the 'Status of the World’s Soil Resources'report. |
Let's talk about soils
|
This animated film tells the reality of soil resources around the world, covering the issues of degradation, urbanization, land grabbing and overexploitation; the film offers options to make the way we manage our soils more sustainable. |
Soils: a hidden resource
|
Soils are a limited natural resource, but their role in food security is crucial. In light of climate change, soil degradation and erosion, farmers struggle to protect soil health. |
Thematic infographic
Soils store and filter water - Improving food security and our resilience to floods and droughts
Functional soils play a key role in the supply of clean water and resilience to floods and droughts.
Soils help to combat and adapt to climate change
Soils help to combat and adapt to climate change by playing a key role in the carbon cycle.
Soils are the foundation for vegetation
Healthy soils are crucial for ensuring the continued growth of natural and managed vegetation, providing feed, fibre, fuel, medicinal products and other ecosystem services such as climate regulation and oxygen production. Soils and vegetation have a reciprocal relationship.
Soils and Biodiversity
Soils host a quarter of our planet's biodiversity.Soil is one of nature's most complex ecosystems: it contains a myriad of organisms which interact and contribute to the global cycles that make all life possible.
French | Spanish | Chinese | Russian | Arabic Other languages: Hungarian
Healthy Soils are the Basis for Healthy Food Production
Healthy soils produce healthy crops that in turn nourish people and animals. Indeed, soil quality is directly linked to food quality and quantity.
French | Spanish | Chinese | Russian | Arabic Other languages: Turkish | Italian
Soil is a non-renewable resource. Its preservation is essential for food security and our sustainable future
Soil is a finite resource, meaning its loss and degradation is not recoverable within a human lifespan.
French | Spanish | Chinese | Russian | Arabic Other languages: Hungarian | Turkish | Italian
Thematic factsheet
Soils store and filter water
Improving food security and our resilience to floods and droughts
Functional soils play a key role in the supply of clean water and resilience to floods and droughts. Water infiltration through soil traps pollutants and prevents them from leaching into the groundwater. Moreover, the soil captures and stores water, making it available for absorption by crops, and thus maximizing water use efficiency
Download PDF: High res | Low res
Official languages: French | Spanish | Chinese | Russian | Arabic
Other languages
Soils help to combat and adapt to climate change by playing a key role in the carbon cycle
Healthy soils provide the largest store of terrestrial carbon. When managed sustainably, soils can play an important role in climate change mitigation by storing carbon (carbon sequestration) and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere.
Download PDF: High res | Low res
Official languages: French | Spanish | Chinese | Russian | Arabic
Other languages
Soils are the foundation for vegetation
which is cultivated or managed for feed, fibre, fuel and medicinal products
Healthy soils are crucial for ensuring the continued growth of natural and managed vegetation, providing feed, fibre, fuel, medicinal products and other ecosystem services such as climate regulation and oxygen production.
Download PDF: High res | Low res
Official languages: French | Spanish | Chinese | Russian | Arabic
Other languages
A healthy soil is a living soil
Soils Host a Quarter of our Planet’s Biodiversity
Biological diversity or ‘biodiversity’ is described as “the variability among living organisms from all sources, whether terrestrial, aquatic or marine”. It includes the diversity within species (genetic diversity), between species (organism diversity) and of ecosystems (ecological diversity)...
Download PDF: High res | Low res
Official languages: French | Spanish | Chinese | Russian | Arabic
Other languages
Healthy soils are the basis for healthy food production
The most widely recognized function of soil is its support for food production
It is the foundation for agriculture and the medium in which nearly all food-producing plants grow. In fact, it is estimated that 95% of our food is directly or indirectly produced on our soils. Healthy soils supply the essential nutrients, water, oxygen and root support that our food-producing plants need to grow and flourish.
Download PDF: High res | Low res
Official languages: French | Spanish | Chinese | Russian | Arabic
Other languages
Italian - High res | Low res | Bahasa Indonesia - High res | Low res
Soil is a non-renewable resource
Its preservation is essential for food security and our sustainable future
Soil is a finite resource, meaning its loss and degradation is not recoverable within a human lifespan. As a core component of land resources, agricultural development and ecological sustainability, it is the basis for food,feed, fuel and fibre production and for many critical ecosystem services. It is therefore a highly valuable natural resource, yet it is often overlooked...
Download PDF: High res | Low res
Official languages: French | Spanish | Chinese | Russian | Arabic
Other languages
Infographics
Soil biodiversity, the hidden world beneath our feet
Plants nurture a whole world of creatures in the soil, that in return feed and protect the plants.This diverse community of living organisms keeps the soil healthy and fertile.
French | Spanish | Chinese | Russian | Arabic Other languages: Catalan | Portuguese | Slovenian
Soil pollution, a hidden reality
This poster presents in a nutshell the sources, degradation processes and effects of soil pollution on the environment, human health and food safety and security.
Other languages: Thai
Soils and pulses: symbiosis for life
The symbiotic and strategic alliance between soils and pulses contributes to improve soil health, adapt to and mitigate climate change, and ultimately to enhance food security and nutrition.
Soils under threat
Soils are under increasing pressure of intensification and competing uses for cropping, forestry, pasture, urbanization. These, combined with unsustainable management and climate extremes, cause degradation.
French | Spanish | Chinese | Russian | Arabic Other languages: Turkish | Deutsch | Thai | Georgian | Catalan
Soil formation
Formation of soil is a complex and long process which depends on 5 key formation factors. Soils around the world are very diverse and constitute a key element of our landscapes.
French | Spanish | Chinese | Russian | Arabic Other languages: Finnish | Swedish | Deutsch | Thai | Georgian | Catalan
Threats on soil functions
A series of 9 postcards focusing on the main soil threats have been produced together with a world map showing the condition and trend of each specific threat worldwide.
|
|
|
|
| |
Soil salinization and sodification | ||
|
| |
Soil Pollution cards | Be the solution
Would you like to be part of the solutions? 10 practical ways to 'Be the Solution' and contribute to #StopSoilPollution
Soil pollution | Postcards
EN: XS | Small | Medium | Large EN: XS | Small | Medium | Large EN: XS | Small | Medium | Large
ES: XS | Small | Medium | Large ES: XS | Small | Medium | Large ES: XS | Small | Medium | Large
FR: XS | Small | Medium | Large FR: XS | Small | Medium | Large FR: XS | Small | Medium | Large
EN: XS | Small | Medium | Large EN: XS | Small | Medium | Large EN: XS | Small | Medium | Large
ES: XS | Small | Medium | Large ES: XS | Small | Medium | Large ES: XS | Small | Medium | Large
FR: XS | Small | Medium | Large FR: XS | Small | Medium | Large FR: XS | Small | Medium | Large
EN: XS | Small | Medium | Large EN: XS | Small | Medium | Large
ES: XS | Small | Medium | Large ES: XS | Small | Medium | Large
FR: XS | Small | Medium | Large FR: XS | Small | Medium | Large
Soil Pollution Infographic
Discover the reality behind soil pollution and how you can be the solution!
Soil erosion | Long infographic
Discover soil erosion through the long infographic:
Arabic (print file | JPG) | Chinese (print file | JPG) | English (print file | JPG) | French (print file | JPG) | Russian (print file | JPG) | Spanish (print file | JPG)
Soil biodiversity | Long infographic
Soil biodiversity | Did you know?
The 'Did you know?' cards can be downloaded here:
- New York's Central Part host more than 120 000 types of bacteria and over 40 000 species of fungi, protozoa, and arthropods
Arabic | Chinese | English | French | Russian | Spanish - Soil is a living resource, home to more than 25% of our planet's biodiversity
Arabic | Chinese | English | French | Russian | Spanish - It is estimated that only 1% of soil microorganism species are currently known compared to 80% of plant species
Arabic | Chinese | English | French | Russian | Spanish - Soil organisms help soils store carbon
Arabic | Chinese | English | French | Russian | Spanish - Soil organisms can break down certain contaminants
Arabic | Chinese | English | French | Russian | Spanish
Other languages: Portuguese
- jpg
- jpg
- jpg
- jpg
- jpg
Soil biodiversity | Social media cards
The Social media cards can be downloaded here:
- 5 benefits of soil biodiversity
Arabic | Chinese | English | French | Russian | Spanish | Portuguese | Thai - 5 drivers of soil biodiversity loss
Arabic | Chinese | English | French | Russian | Spanish | Portuguese - What can you do to stop soil biodiversity loss
Arabic | Chinese | English | French | Russian | Spanish | Portuguese
