International Symposium on Black Soils

Protect Black Soils, Invest in the Future

The International Symposium on Black Soil (ISBS18) will take place in Harbin, China on 10 - 12 September 2018.

Organized by the international Network of Black Soils (INBS), the Food and Agriculture Organization and its Global Soil Partnership (GSP), in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China and the government of the Heilongjiang Province, the Symposium aims to promote the sustainable use and management of black soils and identify relevant research gaps within countries with black soils. The delegates from 18 black soil countries/regions and members of the INBS signed the Harbin communiqué and agreed to advance science and technology of black soils management in the world.

During the Symposium discussions focussed on the concept note and the institutional framework of the INBS in order to consolidate the membership for future cooperation and action plans. As far as the sustainable management of black soil is concerned, soil organic carbon, soil nutrient management, soil health and soil erosion will be under the spotlight. The Symposium outputs will include the development of a global report on the status of black soils, the establishment of a database on good black soil management practices and their implementation on the ground. With this bold action, the organizers are pursuing the benefit of unlocking the multifaced values of this black treasure for agriculture.

The main outcome of the Symposium will be a policy-oriented document based on scientific evidences, showing the pathways toward soil sustainable management (SSM) implementation and highlighting success stories and technological innovations in regions with black soils. In addition, this document will provide specific recommendations for adopting, upscaling and supporting SSM. The Symposium served as a platform for enhancing collaboration and synergies to move SSM forward and protect/ preserve black soil regions in countries of the world.

The Symposium featured internationally recognized keynote speakers and presenters, networking opportunities, interactive sessions, and visits to long-term black soil experiment stations.

For any enquiries regarding ISBS18, you are most welcome to contact the organizing committee at this email address [email protected]