Global Soil Partnership

Working together for a memorable 2016 World Soil Day!

"On World Soil Day, I call for greater attention to the pressing issues affecting soils, including climate change, antimicrobial resistance, soil-borne diseases, contamination, nutrition and human health" 

UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon

05/12/2016

Celebrating Soils 

Today is World Soil Day, a special day to spread awareness on how important healthy soils are for a healthy life. This year, World Soil Day 2016 (WSD2016) relevantly combines the International Year of Soils 2015 and the International Year of Pulses 2016 with the theme “Soil & Pulses, symbiosis for life”. Under this theme, WSD 2016 highlights the multifaceted benefits of pulses not only for human health and nutrition, but also for their contribution to soil health and sustainable agriculture through the symbiotic relationship between soils and pulses.

WSD2016 celebrations officially kicked off at the UN Headquarters in New York on the 2nd December with an event entitled “Soils and pulses, a symbiosis for life and for halting soil degradation”. This event, co-organized by the Permanent Missions of Lesotho, Thailand and Turkey, in collaboration with FAO and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), was also a special occasion to pay tribute to His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand in recognition of his lifelong work on soils and sustainable soil management. His Majesty’s Birthday, 5 December, has been designated World Soil Day since 2014 by the UN General Assembly. 

Today, a special celebration is taking place at FAO headquarters in Rome, followed by a soil and agriculture development exhibition offered by the Permanent Representation of the Kingdom of Thailand. Also, a celebration is taking place at CBD COP13 in Cancun, Mexico. Join the Rome event by webcast. 

See the full message from the UN Secretary-General for the WSD 2016

HAPPY WORLD SOIL DAY!

 

World Soil Day 2016 around the world!

This year, more than 120 events celebrating soils have been registered on our interactive map, while the WSD fun campaign material - infographics, banners, videos, posters and printable logos for T-shirts - was downloaded and used by thousands of people participating in public events. The range of events organized includes concerts, picnics, sport events, debates, WSD cakes, high level workshops and seminars, farmers gatherings, tree plantings in primary schools, lectures to students, science nights activities in high schools and many more.... the GSP Secretariat warmly encourages you to join hands together to fight for healthy soils and awareness over people.                                        

With deep gratitude to the many who agreed to share their successes with us, the photos of your events will be soon uploaded on our growing flickr photo gallery... and we call for the collaboration of all our partners to share pictures and the material prepared for your special events.

---------   FAO special press release for the World Soil Day  ---------

 

Book launch: Soil and Pulses, Symbiosis for Life

In celebration of the synergy between IYS 2015 and IYP 2016, a new book titled Soils & Pulses: symbiosis for life was launched today, WSD2016, at FAO Headquarter. This 114-page publicationillustrates the various ways in which the “strategic alliance” between soils and pulses contributes to forging more sustainable food and agriculture systems, presenting decision makers and practitioners with scientific facts and technical recommendations for managing the symbiosis between soils and pulses. It ultimately explores how sustainable practices can be implemented in support of the effort toend hunger and malnutrition, adapt to climate change, halt soil degradation and achieve overall sustainable development in view of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. A short video illustrating the symbiosis between Soils and Pulses has been prepared and is available here. 

---------   Download the book  ---------

 

December 5: the first Glinka World Soil Prize

Capitalizing on the awareness raising momentum created by the IYS 2015, the first ever Glinka World Soil Prize wasawarded today to the Colombian Instituto Geografico Agustin Codazzi (IGAC) in recognition of its leadership and activities contributing to the promotion of sustainable soil management. As illustrated by this video, IGAC coordinates the Colombian Spatial Data Infrastructure, trains professionals from across the globe in various soil topics, and is rapidly modernizing geospatial technologies in Latin America. In few years IGAC unveiled a study that sheds light on Colombian soils, their morphology and complex economic and social context. Overall, the Institute is compiling information that will change the way that governments and businesses work in relation to soil management in the decades ahead. The current Sponsor of the Glinka World Soil Prize is the Russian Federation

 

Endorsement of the Voluntary Guidelines for Sustainable Soil Management by the FAO Council

In keeping with the celebration of efforts contributing to sustainable soil management, we are pleased to inform you about today's endorsement of the Voluntary Guidelines for Sustainable Soil Management by the 155th session of the FAO Council. These guidelines developed through a comprehensive and inclusive process within the framework of the Global Soil Partnership will further pave the way towards supporting governments and institutions in mainstreaming sustainable development and implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Our acknowledgements go to all our partners who played an active role on this challenging endeavor. 

Similarly, the FAO Council endorsed the establishment of the Global Soil Information System and the development of the Global Soil Organic Carbon map by 2017.

---- Download the Voluntary Guidelines for Sustainable Soil Management  ----

The GSP Secretariat wishes you a fruitful World Soil Day! Help us disseminate the message with the hashtag:

#WorldSoilDay