Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) is one of the main parameters determining soil health. Land uses and management practices that maintain or increase SOC stocks are being recognized as beneficial for climate change mitigation and adaptation, food security and nutrition, Land Degradation Neutrality, and biodiversity conservation. Although many practices are known for maintaining and increasing SOC, responses vary depending on local climate and soil type. Soil management practices should therefore, be selected to suit each specific context. Due to the urgency to unlock the potential of SOC, a Global Symposium on Soil Organic Carbon (GSOC17) was organized in March 2017. The outcome document recommended the preparation of a technical manual that identify, compile and highlight management practices and land use systems that promote the preservation and/or enhancement of SOC stocks. 

The publication “Recarbonizing global soils. A technical manual of recommended management practices” was developed as a response to the GSOC17 Outcome Document. It presents different sustainable soil management (SSM) practices, at different scales and in different contexts, supported by case studies and scientific data that have a positive effect on SOC stocks, as well as successful experiences of SOC sequestration in practical field applications. This technical manual will be launched on 8 September 2021 - the first day of the Ninth Global Soil Partnership Plenary Assembly.

*SSM: According to FAO’s ITPS, soil management is sustainable if the supporting, provisioning, regulating, and cultural services provided by soil are maintained or enhanced without significantly impairing soil functions that enable those services or biodiversity.

FAO and the Eurasian Centre for Food Security (ECFS) are launching the book "Sustainable soil management in the Eurasian region" (available in Russian). This publication represents the first experience of regional application of the recommendations contained in the Voluntary Guidelines for Sustainable Soil Management and its supporting documents.

Download the publication here (soon available)

The International Forum on Black Soil Conservation and Utilization was held in the Jilin Province of the People's Republic of China from 21 to 23 July 2021. Organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People’s Republic of China (MARA) in partnership with the International Network of Black Soils (INBS) of FAO's Global Soil Partnership, among others.

Standard operating procedures (SOPs) offer step-by-step instructions on how to perform laboratory analyses.

SOPs are a critical component in ensuring the replicability, credibility and traceability of data. They are crucial in case of measurement's errors and go hand-in-hand with the execution of internal and external quality control exercises.

Indeed, SOPs help lab staff to carry out routine operations by describing, in detail, how to perform a laboratory process or experiment safely and effectively. SOPs aim to achieve efficiency, quality of output and uniformity of performance, while reducing miscommunication and failure to comply with laboratory and international standards. The harmonization of laboratory standard operating procedures and methods is at the basis of harmonizing soil laboratory data.

29-30 June, 2021

The second meeting of the International Network on Fertilizer Analysis (INFA) was attended by over 200 participants from more than 70 countries and was successful in establishing the governance of the network, and in defining the topics for the working groups. The event was attended by distinguished speakers, who exchanged experiences with the participants.