FAO’s Global Soil Partnership awarded the International Union of Soil Sciences’ Distinguished Service Medal
Since 2012 the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) – the global union of soil scientists and soil science societies - has recognized outstanding world soil leaders who have translated soil science into action, by awarding the IUSS Distinguished Service Medal.
On the 5th of December 2022 during the World Soil Day celebration, the IUSS Distinguished Service Medal 2022 was awarded to FAO’s Global Soil Partnership (GSP). The medal aims to recognise individuals or organisations who, throughout their life and work, have distinguished themselves by actions that have significantly contributed to the growth and consolidation of the IUSS, soil science and/or the promotion and strengthening of public policies for the preservation of soil resources.
This was thus an extraordinary World Soil Day for the Global Soil Partnership which received this prestigious prize from Ms Laura Bertha Reyes Sanchez, IUSS President. In the words of Ms Reyes Sanchez, "this medal is given in recognition of the outstanding actions of the GSP in favour of Soil Sciences and for promoting the knowledge and appreciation of the soil resource".
Ms Laura Bertha Reyes Sanchez offered the medal to Dr QU Dongyu, FAO Director-General to recognize the efforts of the FAO's GSP on its tenth anniversary (2012-2022): a decade fully dedicated to raising soil's profile and putting sustainable soil management in action.
Looking back at 2012, the GSP has fulfilled its mission to put soil on the global agenda, from promoting sustainable soil management to improving soil governance for healthy and productive soils around the world. Soils are now high on the global agenda, and it is imperative to continue pursuing sustainable soil management practices.
The Partnership is grateful for this prestigious award and is committed to continuing in its endeavours to create an ever-growing network of partners to promote soil health globally.
Former winners of the Award include Dr Taolin Zhang, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China in 2021; Dr Franz Fischler, Former Minister of Agriculture of Austria and Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries of the European Union in 2020; and Mr Antonio Walker and Mrs Carolina Schimdt Ministers of Agriculture and Environment of Chile in 2019 (read more).
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