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Twelfth Global Soil Partnership Plenary Assembly

A person speaks into a microphone while two other people look on.
Charles Kome, NRCS-SPSD, speaking to the assembly on the need for soil information by farmers.

Drs. Jonathan Maynard and Charles Kome, NRCS Soil and Plant Sciences Division, attended the Twelfth Plenary Assembly of the Global Soil Partnership (GSP) held from June 3–5, 2024, at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (UN) headquarters in Rome, Italy. For three days, the assembly brought together 630 online participants, 203 delegates, and 143 GSP partners and soil-related stakeholders to address key challenges affecting soils and set the agenda for action for the years ahead.

The GSP was established in 2012 to position soils in the Global Agenda and to promote sustainable soil management. The Partnership, hosted by FAO, seeks to improve soil governance to better guarantee productive soils to support food security, climate change adaptation and mitigation, and sustainable development for all. The GSP serves as a platform for members of the FAO and GSP partners to meet to exchange knowledge and expertise on sustainable soil management.

During his opening remarks, the FAO Director-General, Qu Dong Yu, stated that “Soil is the mother of agriculture and the mother of life.” He explained that GSP is committed to improving and maintaining the health of at least 50 percent of the world's soils by 2030 by ensuring sustainable soil management based on the three Rs: reduce, re-use, and renew. In closing, the FAO Director-General commended the GSP for its outstanding work and asked partners to redouble efforts to feed a growing world population in a sustainable manner.

In his keynote remarks, U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Jeffrey Prescott highlighted the challenges of feeding 9 billion people by 2050 amidst threats to our soils that contribute to diminishing and deteriorating land and water resources. He congratulated the GSP for its achievements so far but reminded those in attendance that much work needs to be done.

Dr. Cary Fowler, U.S. Special Envoy, Global Food Security, presented by webcast on the same day. Dr. Fowler kicked off the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS) side event initiated by the U.S. State Department immediately following the opening ceremony.

The assembly deliberated on key threats to soils by region or country and included soil erosion, nutrient management, salinity issues, and others. Success stories, lessons learned, and strategies for improving soil health in the future were also discussed.