The S4N project, implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) through the Global Soil Partnership (GSP) Secretariat, aims to strengthen the capacity of beneficiary farmers on S4N and increase awareness on the production of more nutritious food through a nutrition sensitive agriculture approach. The project is currently being implemented in three countries: Burkina Faso, Colombia, and Mexico. 

The national technical workshop brought together 17 representatives from ten institutions , including the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MADR), the Colombian Agricultural Research Corporation (AGROSAVIA), the Agustín Codazzi Geographic Institute (IGAC), and the Technical Secretariat of the Intersectoral Commission on the Human Right to Food (CIDHA). These organizations, involved in soil science and human nutrition, expressed their commitment to supporting the S4N project by contributing data, integrating S4N findings into their activities, and promoting nutrition-sensitive soil management across Colombia helping scale up its impact at country level.

In the two departments where the project is being implemented, 21 Soil Doctor trainers and 63 Soil Doctors received hands-on training on the locally adapted S4N module of the Global Soil Doctors Programme. The Programme empowers smallholder farmers and community leaders to diagnose soil constraints, select appropriate management practices to address them, and guide other farmers in adopting sustainable soil management practices that improve soil fertility, soil health and crop diversity. As part of the Programme’s toolkit, Soil Doctor kits were distributed, to provide trainers and farmers with the necessary tools to apply their new knowledge directly in their fields.

The training also led to the development of the S4N Module Guidelines for Colombia; a set of practical recommendations adapted to local conditions. The guidelines focus on improving soil structure, increasing soil nutrient balance, and promoting crop diversification, key steps towards healthier soils and more nutritious diets.  The next phase of the project will focus on delivering farmer-level training in both departments and measuring baseline and endline S4N indicators to track improvements in soil health and nutritional outcomes. 

With strong institutional support and growing local capacity, Colombia is moving towards a future where better soil management contributes to more diverse, nutritious, and resilient food systems.