The nomination is available to all—individuals or organizations. The Glinka honors individuals and organizations whose leadership and activities have contributed or are still contributing to the promotion of sustainable soil management and the protection of soil resources. The Glinka World Soil Prize is named after Konstantin Glinka, an eminent Russian soil scientist known for his work on the geographical distribution of soils. The prize honours distinguished individuals or organizations that promote sustainable soil management and the protection of soil resources, which have a direct impact on people’ well-being.  It aims to encourage interested stakeholders and soil practitioners to engage in field-oriented work, with direct contributions to food security, the preservation of the environment, and poverty alleviation.

The selected nominees are dynamic change-makers dedicated to solving one of the worlds pressing environmental issue: soil degradation. GSP partners are invited to nominate candidates either directly or on behalf of a third party. Please note, self-nomination is not allowed and will be disqualified. Nominations can be submitted in English, French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, or Chinese.

The Glinka World Soil Prize awards individuals annually under the auspices of the FAO Global Soil Partnership. The official ceremony will be held on World Soil Day, 5 December 2022. The award consists of a USD 15 000 check and a Glinka gold-plated medal. If you think you are an eligible candidate, propose your nomination to the GSP country focal point or the closest GSP partner (full list available here). Submit the nomination form  by 01 September 2022 to [email protected]. 

The Glinka World Soil Prize, launched in 2016, rewards eligible candidates who contribute to raise awareness and bring possible solutions to confront acute problems of soil degradation. It encourages and recognizes field-oriented work directly contributing to preserve soils and increase food security. 

Last year’s Soil Champion,Ms Lydie-Stella Koutika from The Republic of the Congo has had a long and distinguished career in the field of soil science. Former winners of the Glinka World Soil Prize include Instituto Geografico Augustin Codazzi (IGAC) in 2016, Argentine No Till Farmers Association (Aapresid) in 2017, Dr Rattan Lal in 2018, and Dr Xu Minggang in 2019, and Mr Luca Montanarella from the European Commission in 2020. 

The Glinka World Soil Prize is supported by the Russian Federation.

Download the Glinka World Soil Prize brochure for more information.