The Indian Council of Agricultural Research and its Indian Institute of Soil Science is organizing the Second lab managers’ meeting of the South-East Asia Laboratory NETwork (SEALNET 2.0) meeting in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh from 19-23 November.

In his speech, Mr. Tomio Shichiri, FAOR India said that Evidence-based decisions made using harmonized and reliable data/information are critical to practice sustainable soil management and achieve food security and nutrition, a key objective in FAO’s mandate.

Recognizing the need for a coordinated action on the harmonization and standardization of soil analytical data and soil analysis methodologies globally, the Global Soil Partnership of FAO launched the Global Soil Laboratory Network (GLOSOLAN) on 1 and 2 November 2017. GLOSOLAN aims to (1) strengthen the performance of laboratories towards the development of standards, and (2) to harmonize soil analyses in order to make soil information across laboratories, countries and regions comparable and  interpretable. In this context, GLOSOLAN will generate new harmonized soil data sets and promote the establishment of National Soil Information Systems as well as that of a Global Soil Information System (GLOSIS), another activity the GSP Secretariat is paying special attention to. Ultimately, data generated in GLOSOLAN will assist countries in reporting on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Following the launch of GLOSOLAN, the Regional Soil Laboratory Network for Asia (also known as the South-East Asia Laboratory Network – SEALNET) was launched on 20-24 November 2017 in Bogor, Indonesia. SEALNET was the first Regional Soil Laboratory Network established under GLOSOLAN, a further confirmation of how Asia is affirming itself as a champion region in the Global Soil Partnership. Since its launch, SEALNET put great effort to implement its annual working plan. Remarkable was the execution of a regional proficiency testing and the development of standard operational procedures on soil pH, organic carbon, exchangeable potassium, available phosphorous and cation exchange capacity. The work of SEALNET was presented and appreciated in several international venues including the 6^th GSP Plenary Assembly, and attracted the interest of international organizations such as the International Standard Organization (ISO).

He also mentioned that Madhya Pradesh is an important state for FAO, as the Government of Madhya Pradesh is one of our partners in the Global Environment Facility (GEF) funded Green Agriculture project being implemented by FAO and the Government of India in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Odisha, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand. The project aims to achieve sustainable land management in an area covering 750,000 ha in the five states. FAO is also planning, a Technical Cooperation Project (TCP) in Madhya Pradesh on Integrated Crop and Livestock management, which will focus on enhanced natural resources management.