World Soil Day 2021: Protecting the precious resource lying beneath our feet
The international observance convened inspiring speakers and award winners to focus attention on the importance of healthy soils and advocating for the sustainable management of soil resources.
7 December, New York - Every year, World Soil Day sheds a light on the key role healthy soils play in ending global hunger and advocates for the sustainable management of this important resource. During the virtual celebration in New York – co-organized by the Permanent Representations of Ecuador, Lesotho, Thailand and the Russian Federation to the UN, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and the Global Soil Partnership – participants conveyed the importance of addressing the growing challenges in soil management, fighting soil salinization and encouraging societies to improve soil health. Healthy soils are the foundation of our agri-food systems and key to healthy crops.
In his opening remarks, Ambassador Suriya Chindawongse of Thailand to the UN paid tribute to His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great of Thailand on occasion of his birthday (5 December) and his lifelong work on sustainable soil management.
The President of the United Nations General Assembly delivered a video message reminding participants of the incredible benefits of soil restoration. Underlining the World Soil Day theme “Halt soil salinization, boost soil productivity”, the President of the UN Economic and Social Council and Permanent Representative of Botswana to the UN, stated the need to provide access to finance, productive inputs and information for the world’s 1.7 billion smallholder farmers to optimize production.
The virtual celebration also heard from Ambassador Cristian Espinosa Cañizares of Ecuador who emphasized that healthy soils are essential for the prosperity of future generations. Ambassador Nkopane Raseeng Monyane of Lesotho echoed the sanctity of soil, and this sentiment resounded in the statement of Ambassador Dmitry Chumakov of the Russian Federation who stressed that 95% of the food we eat comes from our soils.
The segment concluded with remarks by LI Lifeng, FAO’ Director of the Land and Water Division, who urged everyone to work together to produce more with less and safeguard these resources for the future. FAO recently launched the Global Soil Laboratory Assessment Report, underlining the importance of generating reliable soil data. Other FAO-led initiatives include a Global Soil Information System (GloSIS) and a newly-launched Global Soil Biodiversity Observatory, which will contribute to the global monitoring network and the forecasting of soil health.
Rethinking our approach to soil
“Soils must be at the core of any action in order to face the threats of climate change,” said Rosa Poch, Chair of the Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils. She was joined in the panel discussion by the awardees of Russia’s Glinka World Soil prize and Thailand’s King Bhumibol World Soil Day Award, who shared their inspiring stories.
Dr Lydie-Stella Koutika, Glinka World Soil Prize winner, explained that the answer to food security, preserving natural resources and mitigating climate change lies in the sustainable management of soils. Professor Chude, speaking on behalf of the Nigeria Institute of Soil Science, King Bhumibol award winner, added that if soils are not treated properly, they will not support crop production and will not achieve good yields. Thailand showcased their award-winning “Thung Kula Ronghai” experience and best practices on land remodeling and integrated soil and water management.
The event concluded with a reminder by Melchiade Bukuru, Director of the UNCCD Office in New York, that achieving the Sustainable Development Goals will not be possible unless we undertake large-scale land restoration and soil desalination.
The event was moderated by Natalia Rodriguez Eugenio, FAO Land and Water Officer.
Related links
- Miss the event? Watch the recording and revisit the event's dedicated website.
- Find out more on FAO’s work on soils here, including the Global Soil Partnership (GSP)
- Visit the Global World Soil Day website
- Discover the first ever country-driven Global Map of Salt-affected Soils
Presentations
- Dr Rosa Poch, Chair of the Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils
- Dr Lydie-Stella Koutika, 2021 Glinka World Soil Prize winner