The Global Symposium on Soil Information & Data (GSID24), co-organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization, its Global Soil Partnership and the Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences (ISSCAS) will be held in Nanjing, China, September 25-28, 2024.

This symposium will serve as an international forum for stakeholders, encompassing policymakers, researchers, and practitioners, to explore the important role of comparable and reliable soil data and information in addressing global challenges such as food security, climate change, and sustainable soil management.

Emphasizing the significance of data-driven decision-making, GSID24 aims to catalyse the development and implementation of policies grounded in robust soil data, thereby enhancing the efficacy of global efforts towards sustainable development and climate resilience.

Main objectives of the symposium

• Showcase advancements and address knowledge gaps in soil data collection, analysis, and mapping, utilizing innovative methods including remote sensing and machine learning.
• Demonstrate successful implementation of FAIR standards in establishing soil information systems.
• Present strategies for utilizing quality soil data in policy-making at all levels and driving effective global development initiatives.
• Discuss ethical considerations and data ownership in soil science, promoting open scientific inquiry while protecting individual and community rights.
• Highlight the importance of capability building and open data through information systems and collaborative platforms.

Call for abstracts

Main themes

The symposium will be organized along four themes:

The conference targets over 1000 participants in-person and 5000 online, including researchers, policymakers, representatives from international organizations, civil society, development practitioners, and the private sector, with a strong emphasis on active engagement from the academic and policy communities of the host country and region, alongside global dignitaries and opinion leaders.

Co-organizers

The Scientific Committee comprises representatives from ISSCAS, the Intergovernmental Panel on Soils (ITPS), the International Network on Soil Information Institutions (INSII), the Global Soil Laboratory Network (GLOSOLAN) and additional leading experts in the themes addressed in the symposium. This committee is responsible for evaluating submitted abstracts, as well as ensuring the scientific quality of the parallel sessions and symposium outputs.