World Soil Day

Hear from #GSP partners as they share efforts, expertise and innovative ideas on soil conservation, restoration & sustainable management. Register now ! GSP Plenary Assembly Twelfth Session - Soil Partners'day WEBCAST VACS | WEBCAST LDD THAILAND | WEBCAST ETHIOPIA ROOM AM | WEBCAST ETHIOPIA ROOM PM The Soil Partners' Day is a unique opportunity for all GSP Members and partners to share their efforts, expertise, experiences and innovative ideas related to the conservation, restoration, and protection of soil and its sustainable management. 3 June The Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS) – The US, Department of State, Office of Global Food Security Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS) The journey to success: from dirt to living soil - LDD Thailand . The journey of the ​ Global Soil Partnership ​- Lifeng Li​ Director, Land and Water Division, FAO​ 4 June Soil Health monitoring MRV Systems related to Soil Health, in the context of Agroecology - Internat...

As part of World Soil Day , the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) launched its first global report on black soils which highlights how black soils are at greater risk of degradation due to biodiversity loss, increased land use and extreme weather events, such as droughts. Black soils are dark in colour and rich in organic matter, they are found in Russia, Kazakhstan, China, Argentina, Mongolia, Ukraine, the US, Colombia, Canada, and Mexico. Black soil is considered essential to the global food chain and – critically – has a key role to play in climate change mitigation and adaptation as it contains 8.2% of the world’s soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks and can provide 10% of the global SOC sequestration potential. SOC sequestration is not only cost-effective, but can help mitigate climate change by decreasing carbon from the atmosphere. Additionally, the FAO provided a list of resources to support in sharing the message around soil health and vitality.

   The importance of global soil quality is typically overlooked, but it plays a critical role in supporting life on our planet in several ways. First and foremost, soil provides essential nutrients to trees, crops, flowers, and all other plants which could not exist without it. For perspective, soil-based plants serve as the foundation of almost all human food systems, with 95% of our food coming from soils . It is also home to a large, diversified community of creatures that enhance the soil’s structure, recycle vital nutrients , and aid in the management of weeds, plant pests, and diseases . Another crucial factor is that good soil reduces climate change by preserving or even increasing soil organic carbon storage . Furthermore, it filters and cleans our water and helps prevent natural hazards such as flooding.

  The types of ecosystem services and the  soil functions  referred to in the definition can be elaborated as follows:  • Supporting services include primary production, nutrient cycling and soil formation;  • Provisioning services comprise the supply of food, fibre, fuel, timber and water; raw earth material; surface stability; habitat and genetic resources;  • Regulating services imply the regulation of aspects such as water supply and quality, carbon sequestration, climate regulation, control of floods and erosion; and  • Cultural services denote the aesthetic and cultural benefits derived from soil use.  Sustainable Soil Management  is associated with the following characteristics: 1. Minimal rates of soil erosion by water and wind; 2. The soil structure is not degraded (e.g. soil compaction) and provides a stable physical context for movement of air, water, and heat, as well as root growth; 3. Sufficient surface cover (e.g. from growing ...

  Soils have diverse chemical, physical and biological properties. As a consequence, they differ in their responses to management practices, their inherent ability to deliver ecosystem services, as well as their resilience to disturbance and vulnerability to degradation. The Status of the World’s Soil Resources report identified ten key threats that hamper the achievement of SSM. These threats are: soil erosion by water and wind, soil organic carbon loss, soil nutrient imbalance, soil salinization, soil contamination, acidification, loss of soil biodiversity, soil sealing, soil compaction and waterlogging . These different threats vary in terms of intensity and trend depending on geographical contexts, though they all need to be addressed in order to achieve sustainable soil management. SSM shall contribute to addressing global challenges, and meeting international commitments, including:  • the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development , where SSM could directly or indirectly c...

  The Chemical, Physical and Biological Status of a soil.