The first meeting of the Steering Committee of the International Year on Soils (IYS) took place on 29 October at FAO Headquarters in Rome. 

The main role of this Steering Committee (SC) is to provide guidance and support for the implementation of IYS and related activities worldwide. It fosters dialogue and promotes partnerships among relevant stakeholders with the premise of promoting the sustainable use of soil resources and soil functions and their integration into the policy making to address global agendas on food security and nutrition, sustainable agriculture and development, while maintaining ecosystem services and resilience.

The Permanent Representative of the Kingdom Thailand to FAO, Mr. Sompong Nimchuar, was unanimously elected as chairman by the Steering Committee members who agreed to meet on a monthly basis to further the development and guide implementation of the IYS.

The IYS Plan of Action, which was endorsed by members during the Second Plenary Assembly of the Global Soil Partnership (July 2014) was reviewed and members agreed to consult with their constituencies to further its successful implementation at national, regional and international levels.

The IYS will officially kick off on 5 December, World Soil Day. Opening events will take place in New York, Rome and Bangkok under the theme  "Soils, a Foundation for Family Farming”. 

The agendas of both events were discussed and it was agreed that advocacy events and IYS initiatives would be further elaborated through consultations and additional inputs by SC members.

Moreover, active participation by all stakeholders - farmers’ organizations, technical bodies, policy makers, public and private sectors, as well as soil scientists, will be mobilized through the development of a communication and outreach strategy for the Year.

The 29 members that participated in the Steering Committee meeting welcomed progress and committed to work together to facilitate a successful 2015 International Year of Soils.  This year's official slogan is “Healthy Soils for a Healthy Life”.