The 13th session of the Global Soil Partnership Plenary Assembly celebrates eight decades of FAO’s action on soil and land

The Thirteenth Plenary Assembly of the Global Soil Partnership (GSP) was held from 3 to 5 June at FAO headquarters in Rome. As the decision-making body of the GSP, the Assembly seeks to exchange knowledge and experiences, take crucial decisions, and shape the global soil agenda. This year, the event coincided with FAO’s 80th anniversary and featured high-level speakers from around the world. The opening ceremony also featured the launch of a new video, 'LAND & SOIL - A legacy of action for a food secure and resilient future,' showcasing FAO's eight decades of commitment to sustainable soil and land management.

03/07/2025

The Plenary brought together a total of 162 partners in person - 110 delegates and 52 GSP partners, along with 795 online participants. These participants represented a wide range of stakeholder groups, including academia, NGOs, farmers' associations, and UN agencies.

FAO Director-General QU Dongyu opened the Plenary Assembly with inspiring remarks, highlighting the importance of the GSP in advancing sustainable soil management: “It is through strong alliances like the Global Soil Partnership that we have turned challenges into opportunities, and vision into action to improve agricultural production and sustainability.” The opening also featured high-level speakers from Brazil, the People's Republic of China, Thailand, the Islamic Republic of Iran and Zimbabwe as well as representatives from UNESCO and UNCCD. Together, they emphasized the critical role of healthy soils in building a future that is sustainable, productive, resilient, and inclusive.

Following the opening, two high-level roundtables convened key experts and decision-makers to exchange experiences and insights on advancing the global soil and land agenda. The discussions fostered collaboration and promoted innovative, data-driven, and impactful strategies for sustainable land use and soil conservation.

During the three-day discussions, the Plenary addressed several key topics, including the work of the Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils (ITPS), the status of the implementation of the GSP Action Framework, soil governance, and soil awareness and literacy. Updates were provided by the chairs of the Regional Soil Partnerships and GSP technical networks. Key decisions included agreement on a robust soil health indicator system to track global progress, endorsement of the members of the fifth Intergovernmental Technical Panel of Soils (ITPS) for 2025–2028 and the establishment of the Technical Network on Soil Erosion.

For the third time, the GSP also organized a dedicated soil partners’ day. Officially opened by Mr Lifeng Li, Director of FAO’s Land and Water Division, the event served as a platform to foster collaboration, create new synergies, and promote innovative and impactful solutions. Mr Li emphasized the significance of the moment: “this year holds special meaning for us, as we celebrate FAO’s 80th anniversary. It is a moment not only to reflect on our shared accomplishments but also to look ahead and set out a course of action for the future”. Discussions were structured around three major thematic areas: science and innovation, data and technology, and impactful solutions on the ground.

The event saw participation from prominent institutions and organizations, including the Gates Foundation, CIFOR-ICRAF & the Coalition of Action 4 Soil Health (CA4SH), ISRIC, the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, the Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology (Chinese Academy of Sciences), Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Kingenta Ecological Engineering Group Co., Ltd. (China), Soil Week Australia/Local Food Connect, and the former President of the International Union of Soil Sciences.

Throughout the Plenary, an exhibition was held in the atrium of FAO Headquarters to commemorate FAO’s 80th anniversary. The display celebrated key achievements in soil conservation and sustainable land and soil management, highlighting the contributions of both FAO and land and soil scientists, managers and decision-makers worldwide over the past eight decades.

A special moment on the first day featured young artist Silvio Coiante, who created an artwork on site celebratingFAO’s legacy. His layered piece symbolized eight decades of cumulative progress representing how today's achievements build upon years of collective effort. Coiante generously donated the artwork to FAO.

The assembly concluded on 5 June, with delegates and stakeholders appreciative of successful deliberations and ambitious plans for 2025-2026.

For more information, visit the Global Soil Partnership website.