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Learn about the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-2031
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38 FAO Regional Conference for Latin America and Caribbean
18 to 21 March, 2024, Georgetown, Guyana
Stories
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Events
Celebration of World Soil Day
Virtual Event, 05/12/2023
©FAO
Live Broadcast
Background
World Soil Day (WSD) is held annually on 5 December as a means to focus attention on the importance of healthy soil and advocating for the sustainable management of soil resources.
World Soil Day 2023: Soil and Water, Source of Life
Our planet’s survival depends on the precious link between soil and water. Over 95 percent of our food originates from these two fundamental resources. Soil water, vital for nutrient absorption by plants, binds our ecosystems together. This symbiotic relationship is the foundation of our agricultural systems.
However, in the face of climate change and human activity, our soils are being degraded, putting excessive pressure on our water resources. Erosion disrupts the natural balance, reducing water infiltration and availability for all forms of life.
Sustainable soil management practices, such as minimum tillage, crop rotation, organic matter addition, and cover cropping, improve soil health, reduce erosion and pollution, and enhance water infiltration and storage. These practices also preserve soil biodiversity, improve fertility, and contribute to carbon sequestration, playing a crucial role in the fight against climate change.
Objective
The greeting that will be offered by the FAO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean in conjunction with the Soil Alliance for Latin America and the Caribbean, ASLAC aims to raise awareness about the importance and relationship between soil and water for sustainable and resilient agri-food systems.
Agenda
10:00 am: Greeting by Mr. Mario Lubetkin - Assistant Director-General and FAO Regional Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean
10:05 am: Greeting by His Excellency Mr. Victor Manuel Villalobos - Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development of Mexico.
10:10 am: Greetings from Latin American and Caribbean countries.
10:15 am: Summary of the main activities of ASLAC and Soil Community of Practice: Ana Posas, FAO Agriculture Officer for Latin America and the Caribbean.
10:20 am: Announcement of the winner photo contest: Sol Ortiz, General Director of Policy, Prospecting and Climate Change of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Mexico and President of ASLAC.
10:30 am: Selected experiences from the call for Good Practices towards Sustainable Soil and Water Management. Javiera Suárez, Specialist in sustainable production and soil management.
10:40 am: Close
Documents
Related links
Did you know?
- 95% of our food comes from soils.
- 33% of soils are degraded.
- It can take up to 1 000 years to produce just 2-3 cm of soil.
- Soils supply 15 of the 18 naturally occurring chemical elements essential to plants.
- There are more living organisms in a tablespoon of soil than people on Earth.
- Over the last 70 years, the level of vitamins and nutrients in food has drastically decreased.
- 2 billion people worldwide suffer from lack of micronutrients, known as hidden hunger.
- Agricultural production will have to increase by 60% to meet the global food demand in 2050.
- Up to 58% more food could be produced through sustainable soil management.
- Up to half of our household waste could be composted to nurture our soil.
Contact
Senior consultant on sustainable soil management
Specialist in sustainable production and soil management
Regional Representative
Regional Representative
Mr. Mario Lubetkin has been Assistant Director General and FAO Regional Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean since 1 August, 2022.
Key Documents
Publications
How to use antibiotics effectively and responsibly in poultry production - for the sake of human and animal health
2024
The use of antibiotics and thus the threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) can be reduced by adopting the right husbandry practices. This publication provides practical tips to the livestock producer aiming at improving animal health and hence the reduced use of antibiotics
FAO's four priorities in Latin America and the Caribbean
In depth
We are all connected
how our health is linked to that of animals, plants and the environment.
FAO Campus
Courses of self-study, semi face-to-face and virtual with tutor.
Central American Dry Corridor
Stories and facts about this "land of opportunities" in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.
Parliamentary front against hunger
More than 400 legislators work with FAO, the Spanish Cooperation and AMEXCID
1000 Digital Villages in Latin America and the Caribbean Initiative
Rural tourism experiences and digitization in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Global
Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS)
Discover the systems in Latin America globally recognized as agricultural heritage.
One Country One Priority Product
Global action on green development.
World Food Day
Water is life, water is food. October 16, 2023. Leave no one behind.
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Gender Equality
Empowering women in food and agriculture.
Global School Feeding Platform
Technical resources for experts and practitioners.
Data on food and agriculture
Free access to data from more than 245 countries.
Multimedia
FAO's 80th anniversary - 365 days of action
01/01/2025
FAO Brief - 9 December 2024
04/12/2024
In this episode: FAO calls for urgent agricultural aid to the Democratic Republic of the Congo amid the severe food insecurity in the country; a new FAO report offers guidance on integrating nutrition goals into international food trade policies; and, in Riyad, Saudi Arabia, FAO joins global call...