After six months of intense preparatory activities, a major meeting to launch a Global Soil Partnership (GSP) was conducted by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) at its headquarters in Rome, Italy, from 7 to 9 September 2011.

The meeting was organized in collaboration with the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission (EC).

The main purpose of the meeting was for FAO to present to its member countries and key stakeholders a proposal for a GSP and to obtain reactions and recommendations on the way forward towards the establishment of such a partnership.