United Nations Declares 2015 the Year of Soils
International Year of Soils
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization has designated 2015 the International Year of Soils. The organization hopes to raise awareness of the need to protect productive soils around the planet. It has entrusted a Global Soil Partnership with this task. The partnership has five pillars of action.
The 5 pillars of action
It will contribute to environmental wellbeing through, for example, preventing soil erosion and degradation, reducing greenhouse gas emissions,
promoting carbon sequestration and promoting sustainable use of agricultural inputs for soil health and ecosystems management.
It will equally contribute to human wellbeing and social equity through improved use and governance of soil resources, finding alternatives to soil degrading practices through participatory experiential processes, and being sensitive to issues of gender and rights of indigenous peoples.
In order to achieve these objectives, the GSP should address five main pillars of action:
- Promote sustainable management of soil resources for soil protection, conservation and sustainable productivity
- Encourage investment, technical cooperation, policy, education awareness and extension in soil
- Promote targeted soil research and development focusing on identified gaps and priorities and synergies with related productive, environmental and social development actions
- Enhance the quantity and quality of soil data and information: data collection (generation), analysis, validation, reporting, monitoring and integration with other disciplines
- Harmonization of methods, measurements and indicators for the sustainable management and protection of soil resources