Dear Colleagues, Partners, and Soil Advocates,

It is an honour to introduce myself as the Secretary of the Global Soil Partnership and to join this dedicated community committed to sustainably using and protecting one of our most vital natural resources - soil.

The second phase of the Soils for Nutrition (S4N) Project, supported by the German government, organized a kick off meeting on 3 February 2025, marking a pivotal step in the global effort to enhance soil health and promote the production of nutritious food.

The global demand for cocoa is increasing, paralleling rising concerns about cadmium (Cd) contamination in cocoa beans, especially in Latin America and the Caribbean. As a crucial export for many developing countries, cocoa is notably impacted by Cd and other trace elements like lead (Pb), which are frequently found in higher concentrations in their leaves. Many cocoa-exporting countries in the region face challenges meeting European Union (EU) regulations on cadmium limits (EU Regulation 488/2014), threatening the value chain and raising health concerns.

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Bangkok, Thailand – 5 December 2024. Farmers, scientists and officials from Burkina Faso, Colombia, Mexico and Thailand convened in Thailand for a global workshop on “Enhancing Capacities for Soil Health Development and Nutritious Food Production (S4N)”. Organized by FAO and its Global Soil Partnership with support from Federal German Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL), the event took place as part of the World Soil Day celebration and was later presented as a side event at the International Soil and Water Forum (ISWF) in Thailand from 9 to 11 December.

The RECSOIL initiative, led by the Global Soil Partnership (GSP) of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), is making significant strides in advancing soil health and mitigating climate change. Focused on soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration, the programme positions Costa Rica as a key leader in this global effort, with active participation from stakeholders such as the Dos Pinos Farmer Cooperative, ICAFE (Instituto del Café de Costa Rica), FONAFIFO (Fondo Nacional de Financiamiento Forestal ), INTA (Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria), UCR (Universidad de Costa Rica), UNA (Universidad Nacional), UNDP (United Nations Development Programme), and MAG (Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock ). The engagement of dairy and coffee farmers highlights the collective commitment to transforming agricultural practices to improve soil health and help mitigate climate change.