International Network of Salt-affected Soils (INSAS)
The International Network of Salt-Affected Soils (INSAS) is a Technical Network of FAO’s Global Soil Partnership (GSP), operating according to its Rules of procedure.
INSAS supports joint efforts towards the sustainable management of salt-affected soils (SAS) for food security, agricultural sustainability, environmental protection, and climate change mitigation.
Functions, duties and more
Soil salinization and sodification are major threats to global food security and hinder the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as identified in the Status of the World’s Soil Resources report (FAO and ITPS, 2015).
Several global fora on salt-affected soils such as the Global Forum on Salinization and Climate Change (Valencia, Spain 2010), the Third International Salinity Forum (Riverside, USA 2014), and Saline Futures (Leeuwarden, the Netherlands 2019) highlighted the need for an integrated approach to manage salt-affected soils. This requires integrating knowledge on soil, water and plants with practical solutions through joint actions brought about by collaboration among scientists, international organizations, research institutions, farmer associations, policy makers, and governments.
This need for an integrated approach is why INSAS was established in June 2019 during the 7th GSP Plenary Assembly, following a recommendation from its Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils (ITPS). It aims to promote sustainable and productive management of salt-affected soils for present and future generations.
- Promote the sustainable management of salt-affected soils;
- Develop a harmonized approach and identify indicators for the assessment, mapping and monitoring of salt-affected soils;
- Develop guidelines and manuals on good practices for the sustainable management of salt-affected soils;
- Provide a platform for capacity development, knowledge sharing and technical cooperation;
- Foster collaboration among INSAS member countries ;
- Strenghten the collaboration between scientists, practitioners and policy-makers ; and
- Advocate for hating and reversing trends in soil salinization and sodification.
Any partner of FAO’s Global Soil Partnership can become an INSAS member.
- Register online via the INSAS membership form
- Alternatively, you may download the application form in English, French or Spanish and send it to [email protected] and [email protected] in cc).
Institutions, academia, NGOs, civil society, farmer associations, and other stakeholders engaged in the sustainable and productive management of salt-affected soils are welcome to join.
Register HereWorking groups (WGs)
Focus: mapping, assessing and monitoring salt-affected soils
Activities include:
- Organization of workshops and webinars;
- Promotion of proximal soil sensing tools (EMI, gamma-ray, DEM, soil spectroscopy);
- Development of methodologies and guidelines for SAS mapping, measurement and assessment for different stakeholders (including farmers); and
- Development and updates of Standard Operating Procedures for salinity / sodicity / alkalinity measurements, jointly with GLOSOLAN.
Focus: sustainable practices and policy frameworks for management of salt-affected soils
Activities include:
- Sharing policy tools and legal frameworks (through webinars, workshops, and SoilEX);
- Creating a database of good policy practices: recommending improved soil and water use methodes under saline conditions; and
- Supporting field-level learning through FAO’s GSP Global Soil Doctors Programme.
Focus: Halophyte agriculture and salt-tolerant crops and plants
Activities include:
- Collaborating with WASAG’s Saline Agriculture working group;
- Promoting a UN Year of saline agriculture;
- Supporting SAS countries with the transformation of their agrifood systems to become more adapted to saline soils and water, e.g. sustainable saline agriculture and growth of halophytes;
- Conducting training and webinars on halophyte farming and saline agriculture for decision‑makers and other stakeholders; and
- Incorporating saline agriculture and halophytes into the Global Soil Doctors Programme.
Focus: integrated soil and water management in saline/sodic conditions
Activities include:
- Developing a manual on sustainable water management;
- Formulating basic principles for sustainable soil and water management;
- Promoting the monitoring of irrigation water quality; and
- Sharing practices through trainings and a best practices database.
Meetings
Webinars
13/2
2024
21/11
2023
Health of salt-affected soil Webinar | Online 21 November 2023 4:00 - 5:30 PM (Central European Time)
21/11/2023
The webinar is the first in a series of webinars organized by the International Network of Salt-Affected Soils of the Global Soil Partnership, an initiative which is aimed at awareness raising on sustainable management of salt-affected soils for food security, agricultural sustainability and climate change mitigation.