CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE for sustainable production intensification

On 24 April 2013 at the 146th FAO Council, FAO member Countries endorsed the request from the Kingdom of Thailand in the framework of the Global Soil Partnership for the proclamation of the International Year of Soils 2015. The Year will serve as a platform for raising awareness on the importance of sustainable soil management as the basis for food systems, fuel and fibre production, essential ecosystem functions and better adaptation to climate change for present and future generations.

Soil scientists from universities, research institutes, international organizations, governments, and the private sector gathered at FAO Headquarters to help shape the Global Soil Partnership. While in Rome, they also spoke to us about what they would like the Global Soil Partnership to achieve an the main challenges to sustainable soil management that they are facing in their countries and regions. This series of interviews provides an overview of soil management concerns around the globe.

By 2050, food production is projected to increase by about 70 percent globally and nearly 100 percent in developing countries. This incremental demand for food, together with demand from other competing uses, will place unprecedented pressure on many agricultural production systems across the world. These 'systems at risk' are facing growing competition for land and water resources and they are often constrained by unsustainable agricultural practices. They therefore require particular attention and specific remedial action. The first ever State of the World's Land and Water Resources for Food and Agriculture is now available electronically in English, with other language versions to follow soon. A major objective of this publication is to build awareness of the status of land and water resources, and inform on related opportunities and challenges.