FAO kick-starts project on digitization of soils museum in Moscow

During his visit to Russia, Ronald Vargas, Secretary of FAO’s Global Soil Partnership (GSP), had a meeting with Valeria Chaika, acting Rector of the Russian State Agrarian University – Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy. The focus of the discussions was the digitization project of one of the world's largest collections of soil samples, stored in the V.R. Williams Soil-Agronomic Museum at the Timiryazev Academy.

Soils are under pressure from increases in population, higher demands for food and competing land uses. Approximately 33% of global soils are degraded and policy makers around the world are exploring opportunities to embrace sustainable development via the sustainable development goals. GSP is a platform for interactive partnership, cooperation and coordination among all stakeholders, from land users to policy makers, in order to improve soil management and rational use of soils.

The unique collection of the Williams museum, built on the so-called zonal-geographical principle, accommodates soil as monoliths and loose soil samples from different climatic zones: from the Far North to the subtropics.

The participants of the meeting with the Valeria Chaika, who is heading the key agrarian university and agricultural academy of Russia, included: Vanya Maslovarik, FAO Programme Officer from the Land and Water Division; Aghasi Harutyunyan, Officer-in-Charge for FAO’s Liaison Office with the Russian Federation; Elena Shestakova Vice-Rector of the Russian State Agrarian University (administrative matters); Boris Borisov, Dean of the Faculty of Soil science, agrochemistry and ecology; Elena Embaturova, Head of the Department of International Cooperation; and leading academic experts on soil.

The project that will help preserve the rich heritage of the Williams Museum will contribute soil data and information to the Global Soil Information System established by the GSP.