Dr. Gary Pierzynski is a university distinguished professor of soil and environmental chemistry and currently serves on the faculty and as Head of the Department of Agronomy at Kansas State University. He is member of the Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils (ITPS). As a lead technical advisor, he provides important guidance on the development of the Fertilizer Code. His research areas include water quality as impacted by agricultural inputs, remediation of heavy-metal contaminated sites and soils, risk assessment, and the evaluation of food-chain transfer of soil contaminants in urban gardening scenarios. He has published more than 80 refereed papers and three books, served as President of the Soil Science Society of America, and has received national awards for teaching and research.  

 Ms. Zineb Bazza soil scientist specialised in sustainable soil management and soil fertility. She has joined the GSP Secretariat in 2017, where she is the coordinator for the African Soil Partnership and the main facilitator for health, crop productivity and greenhouse gas emissions. She completed her M.Sc. in Soil Sciences and her BSc. in Applied Biology at the University of British Columbia. Pillar 1 activities on sustainable soil management. She also coordinates the Global Soil Doctors programme. During the past years, Zineb has worked on the effects of soil amendments on soil

Background

Soils are the vital source of most of our food: if we are to ensure global food security and nutrition, it is crucial that they be nurtured and protected. A particular challenge associated with managing soils to produce food and provide other ecosystem services is the management of nutrients. The International Code of Conduct for the Sustainable Use and Management of Fertilizers (the Fertilizer Code) was endorsed by FAO member countries as an important tool for promoting the judicious use of fertilizers in the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals. The Fertilizer Code addresses the underuse, misuse and overuse of fertilizers in the context of sustainable agriculture and environment. It provides key recommendations for different sectors and stakeholders, including appropriate use of fertilizers, nutrient recycling, regulation related to the distribution and labeling of fertilizer products wherever appropriate. It also promotes capacity development and education programs for stakeholders who are involved in the fertilizer value chain.