The opening of the workshop was highlighted by the attendance of Mr. Alue Dohong, FAO Assistant Director-General (ADG) and Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific, emphasizing the region's high-level commitment to improving soil health.  

Mr. Alue Dohong, FAO Assistant Director-General, delivers the opening remarks at the AFACI Soil+ international workshop on nutrient budget, erosion and soil health in Bangkok. 

Equipping countries with actionable data 

This workshop is part of the AFACI-Soil+ Phase II project that aims to develop the Soil Atlas of Asia and National Soil Information Systems (NSIS). Its objective was to enhance national capacities and develop advanced soil mapping products. The hands-on training equipped participants with the necessary skills and tools to create: 

• NPK nutrient budget maps: to understand nutrient flows and balances (surpluses and deficits) at national and sub-national levels. 

• Soil erosion maps: to assess water and wind soil erosion risks and identify priority areas for intervention. 

• Soil health dashboards/maps: to monitor and visualize soil health indicators for sustainable land management. 

Five days of intensive hands-on training 

The comprehensive agenda balanced theoretical concepts with practical sessions led by global experts from FAO, the World Association of Soil and Water Conservation (WASWAC) and the Global Nitrogen Innovation Center for Clean Energy and the Environment (NICCEE): 

• Days 1 & 2 - Nutrient Balance Assessment and Mapping: Led by expert Yuhao Wang, participants learned how to calculate NPK inputs (fertilizers, manure, biological fixation) and outputs (crop harvest and removal), ultimately mapping nutrient surpluses and deficits using real country data. 

• Day 3 - Soil Erosion Assessment: Facilitated by Luis Rodríguez-Lado and WASWAC experts, the session covered water and wind erosion modelling, guiding participants in running erosion models with their own data to interpret mapping risks. 

• Day 4 - Soil Health Mapping: Participants explored soil health frameworks and indicators, focusing on the calculation of soil threats and the creation of visually intuitive soil health maps and dashboards. 

• Day 5 - Integration into NSIS: Guided by Eloi Ribeiro, the final day centred on technically integrating these newly developed map products into the countries' existing National Soil Information Systems and updating web services. 

Building a sustainable future 

By publishing these map products to their respective NSIS platforms, AFACI member countries including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, Lao PDR, Mongolia, Nepal, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam are now better positioned for evidence-based decision-making. By adhering to international standards, these systems will facilitate cross-border data sharing, contribute to the regional AFACI database and foster collaborative approaches to sustainable agriculture. 

These advancements will directly support agricultural planning, climate change adaptation, and the achievement of land degradation neutrality targets across the region.