The programme kicked off with two virtual training sessions in July 2024, featuring trainers from various provinces of Argentina, including Buenos Aires, Santa Fe, Córdoba, Mendoza, and Chaco. These workshops helped identify the main threats to soil health, which included soil compaction and the depletion of organic matter, both of which impact water and nutrient availability. The virtual workshops were followed by practical sessions in August 2024 at INTA Castelar, where trainers focused on the importance of soil's physical, chemical, and biological properties. Key areas of focus included the role of soil organic matter in supporting healthy soils, nutrient management, and understanding soil pH, texture, and structure. Trainers emphasized sustainable practices like direct seeding and no till systems, crop rotations, cover crops to improve soil structure and organic matter, and adopting better grazing and machinery management to reduce compaction and erosion.

In its pilot phase, the programme successfully trained 25 soil doctor trainers (10 women and 15 men) from INTA and Aapresid, who subsequently trained the first cohort of 60 soil doctors (18 women and 42 men) in October 2024. These newly certified soil doctors will serve as local mentors, promoting principles of sustainable farming and soil conservation within their communities. The programme aims to reach approximately 300 farmers in key agricultural regions across the country. It is hoped that this success will inspire broader participation from key institutions, farmer associations, and agricultural extension agencies in the coming years. By equipping both farmers and trainers with practical, science based knowledge, the Global Soil Doctors programme is strengthening soil management practices and building a network of soil experts and advocates committed to implementing soil conservation and restoration techniques nationwide.