The 21st World Congress of Soil Science (WCSS) will take place next 12 – 17 August 2018 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil with the theme “SOIL SCIENCE: Beyond food and fuel”. Traditionally held every four years since 1927 under the guidance of the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS), this year WSCC is hosted by the IUSS, the Latin American Soil Science Society (SLCS) and the Brazilian Soil Science Society (SBCS) with the support of FAO and the Global Soil Partnership.

FAO is well aware that, in the coming decades, soil science will continue to be at the edge of global...

The Final Workshop of the project “More Effective and Sustainable Investments in Water for Poverty Reduction” will present the key findings and outcomes, and their concrete applications in Madagascar, Mali, Niger, Rwanda and Ethiopia. The project “More Effective and Sustainable Investments in Water for Poverty Reduction” provides policy guidance, capacity development and technical support on investments in agricultural water management to enhance food security and reduce rural poverty of smallholder farmers.

Interpretation in French and English will be available during the workshop.

For more information on the event, visit http://www.fao.org/in-action/water-for-poverty-in-africa/en/

The project is funded by IFAD through the CGIAR Programme on Water,...

Side-event on “Fostering innovation in water and agriculture for smallholders”

Tuesday 19 June 2018 from 9.00 to 10.30

This side event will discuss innovation in a water and food system perspective in the context of climate change where agriculture and rural livelihoods are at stake.  The new FAO/IWMI publication on “A Global Review of Water Pollution from Agriculture” will be also launched during the event. 

Chair and Moderator - Oleg Guchgeldiyev, FAO Representative in Tajikistan

Keynote speaker - Gary M. Grossman, Associate Director of Programs, School for the Future of Innovation in Society Arizona State University, USA

Speakers - Yaya Boubacar, National Director, National Direction...

Globally, over a third of the land surface of the planet is degraded (FAO-ITPS 2015). This degradation is reflected in significant losses in soil productivity: up to 5,000,000 ha of soil – an area approximately the size of Costa Rica – is lost every year, with high impacts on agricultural production, in a time when demand for food is increasing. 

The World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is meant to raise awareness on the global significance of sustainable land management and to showcase workable solutions to land and soil degradation.  The theme of this year’s event is “Land has true...