New effort to assure soils future generations Rome, 8 September 2011 -- Pressure on the world's soil resources and land degradation are threatening global food security. A three-day meeting to launch a new Global Soil Partnership for Food security and Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation has taken place, in Rome. FAO Director-General, Jacques Diouf, called for a renewed international effort to assure sufficient fertile and healthy soils today and for future generations. Here, the main statements at the opening of the meeting: