Archive des faits saillants
On 17 January 2024, the International Network on Soil Pollution (INSOP) marked an important milestone by conducting its first working group (WG) session of 2024, focusing on sustainable soil management. The meeting was held online via Zoom, and was attended by 108 participants. The purpose of this session was to launch the activities of the Remediation WG defined during the network’s annual meeting in June 2023. To learn about the WG objectives and activities, details can be accessed here.
The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is actively working towards fostering sustainable soil management. As part of this initiative, they have initiated the implementation of the Global Soil Doctors Programme (GSDP) through a Global Environment Facility (GEF)-funded project on integrated management for the sustainable development of the Venezuelan Andes. The implementation of the project is currently underway with the support of key stakeholders. These include the National Institute for Rural Development (MPPAT-INDER) (which acts as the national promoter of the GSDP), the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, the Ministry of Ecosocialism (MINEC), the Latin American Forestry Institute (IFLA), the Rómulo Gallegos National Experimental University of the Central Plains (UNERG), the Foundation for the Technical Unification of Research, Training and Extension (UTICEX), the FAO country office in Venezuela and FAO’s Global Soil Partnership (GSP).
Since its establishment in 1924 the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS), the global union of soil scientists and soil science societies, promotes soil scientist activities all around the world, stimulate scientific research, and reinforces the global soil science community.
With a mere seven percent of Tajikistan's land suitable for agriculture, soil erosion and degradation pose significant threats to sustainable farming. To tackle these threats, Tajikistan recently embarked on the Global Soil Doctors Programme, an innovative initiative designed to improve sustainable soil management. The programme implements farmer-to-farmer training, supporting and strengthening the capacities of farmers who are prominent in their community for their good knowledge of soil management while supporting national governments in addressing the needs of their rural communities. Developed in a collaborative effort with key stakeholders in Tajikistan, the Institute of Soil Science and Agrochemistry (national promoter for the Global Soil Doctors' Programme), the State Institution of Agricultural Entrepreneurship Development Project Management Unit (SI AED PMU), FAO Tajikistan, and FAO's Global Soil Partnership (GSP), the programme demonstrated a genuine commitment to increasing crop yields, productivity, livelihoods and safeguarding the environment.