In his opening statement, the Director-General warned that growing pressure on land, water and agrifood systems is increasing the urgency of protecting and restoring soil health. 

“Productive land is being lost or degraded. Water resources are under growing pressure. Farmers are facing greater uncertainty, while demand for food continues to rise,” he said. “One of the most important resources for addressing these challenges is our soils, yet for too long, soils have been treated as an unlimited resource.”

Qu emphasized the role of healthy soils as the foundation of sustainable agrifood systems and of FAO’s Four Betters: Better Production, Better Nutrition, Better Environment, and Better Life, and referred to their unique function of acting as a "living biological reactor" transforming static land into a dynamic system that generates new productivity from within.

The Director-General said awareness alone is no longer enough, calling for practical action, stronger partnerships and increased investment. Speaking at the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought 2026, he emphasized the importance of accelerating efforts to support sustainable land use, resilient agrifood systems and rural livelihoods. 

Every year, the Plenary Assembly, the decision-making body of the Global Soil Partnership, reviews progress made across its technical networks and programmes and discusses priorities for the years ahead. This year’s discussions focus on soil fertility, soil biodiversity, soil information systems, soil pollution, erosion control and the proposed United Nations Decade on Soil Health.

Highlighting FAO’s work in this context, the Director-General referred to initiatives such as the Recarbonization of Global Agricultural Soils (RECSOIL), which supports countries in increasing soil organic carbon, improving agricultural productivity and strengthening resilience to climate-related challenges, and the Global Soil Doctors Programme, which helps farmers improve soil management practices through practical training and knowledge sharing. 

He also noted the importance of soil health within One Health approaches that recognize the interconnected health of people, animals, plants and ecosystems.  Looking ahead, he encouraged Members and partners to maintain momentum towards the 17th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP17), to be held in Mongolia in August, which is an important opportunity to advance global action on land and soil health. 

On the margins of the Assembly, participants also visited an exhibition in the FAO Atrium showcasing FAO-led initiatives, including the Soil Mapping for Resilient Agrifood Systems (SoilFER) programme, which helps translate soil data into actionable information, enabling better decisions by farmers, extension services and governments to support more sustainable agrifood systems.  The 14th Plenary Assembly of the Global Soil Partnership takes place from 17 to 19 June at FAO headquarters in Rome.