Entering the implementation phase of the Global Soil Doctors Programme

The first step for the implementation of the Global Soil Doctors Programme at the local level is the identification of a potential promoter.

16/12/2020

The Global Soil Partnership have prepared a questionnaire to facilitate the collection of interest in the programme. This short questionnaire is addressed to all interested stakeholders to identify potential promoters that will be participating in the first phase of implementation of the Global Soil Doctors Programme:

📍English: https://bit.ly/3gPXJ7z

📍Spanish: https://bit.ly/34edVdP

📍French: https://bit.ly/3oV4RCo

For any questions, please contact the [email protected].

We highly recommend that all potential promoters familiarize themselves with the documents related to the Programme, precisely the Manual for the implementation of the Global Soil Doctors programme (http://www.fao.org/3/ca7492en/CA7492EN.pdf).

This will help you to effectively answer the questions and help us to identify the potential promoters and define several possibilities to participate in this first implementation phase.

Background information

The Global Soil Doctors programme aims to build the capacity of farmers and contribute to sustainable soil management directly at the field level. The programme can become a self-sustaining system that will promote sustainable soil management irrespective of available national resources through the support of promoters and champion farmers.

The Soil Doctors programme is part of the GSP's efforts to raise soil awareness and welcomed this field-based initiative with farmers directly implementing sustainable soil management.

During the webinar that launched the programme on 5 October 2020, participants commended the Global Soil Doctors Programme, particularly the developing countries who showed great interest in this initiative, which was considered timely, innovative and in line with general expectations in terms of FAO’s Global Soil Partnership support in the field.

How will the Soil Doctors programme develop?

First through the selection of promoters by the GSP, then through the selection of a community and a champion farmer/ Soil Doctor by the selected promoter, and finally through the training of other farmers in their community by the Soil Doctors.

All the material for the Soil Doctors programme as well as the communication and documents related to the programme are already available online and can be used for training purposes. The Soils Doctor programme will continue to evolve and improve based on the feedback received from the field. Pilot studies will start soon and will be followed by a ramp-up phase of the programme.

External URL

http://www.fao.org/global-soil-partnership/pillars-action/2-awareness-raising/soil-doctor/en/