Alianza Mundial por el Suelo

Launch of the Regional Soil Laboratory Network for the Near East and North African region (NENALAB)

In 2017, the Global Soil Partnership established the Global Soil Laboratory Network (GLOSOLAN) harmonize soil laboratory methods and data, and for building the capacity of laboratories in soil analysis. This effort will (1) make soil information across laboratories, countries and regions comparable, interpretable, (2) build a set of agreed harmonization principles, (3) improve quality assurance and control of soil analysis, and (4) promote information and experience exchange.

12/06/2020

After the successful establishment of the Regional Soil Laboratory Networks for Asia (SEALNET) in 2017, Latin America (LATSOLAN) in 2018, and the Pacific (ASPAC), Africa (AFRILAB), Europe and Eurasia (EUROSOLAN) in 2019, GLOSOLAN successful launched the Regional Soil Laboratory Network for the Near East and North Africa (NENALAB) on 9 June 2020. Thanks to the financial support of PhosAgro, the launch meeting of NENALAB, which included training sessions on internal and external quality control, and health and safety, was virtually attended by 79 participants from 30 laboratories in 13 countries. During the meeting, participants had the opportunity to get to know each other, learning about the capacity of other countries and laboratories in soil analysis. Still, they had the opportunity to exchange experience, discuss the main points for discussion in the agenda of the Fourth GLOSOLAN meeting 2020, and elect their Chair and vice-Chairs, whom will represent NENALAB at international events including the GLOSOLAN meetings.

55 laboratories from the 19 countries in the region (Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Syria, Sudan, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen) already joined NENALAB but many more are invited and expected to join the network and contribute to the work. National Soil Laboratory Networks will soon be established under the leadership of National Reference Laboratories.

Regional Soil Laboratories Networks are the skeleton of GLOSOLAN. All GLOSOLAN activities are implemented through its regional networks and all GLOSOLAN decisions are made keeping into consideration national and regional priorities and needs (bottom-up approach).