Daniel Dale and Ronald VargasDubai, 20 June 2014

INTRODUCTION TO REGIONAL AND GLOBAL SOIL PARTNERSHIP

Why RSP/GSPSP and food insecurityPerception on soilsApplication of soils partnershipVision Pillars of actionProgress

POINTS

The first is a regional strategy framework to bring countries together to improve food security and nutrition.

At present, the number of undernourished people in the 19 countries of the Near East and North Africa remains high at nearly 43.7 million, or 10 percent of the population.

Reducing those numbers while coping with a ongoing population growth, increasing scarcity of natural resources and climate change will require much closer inter-governmental cooperation.

The framework calls on governments to work together to  address lagging productivity growth through increased investment programs.

WHY RSP / GSPFood insecurity and undernourishment in

NENA

STATUS OF FOOD INSECURITY STATUS OF FOOD INSECURITY GLOBALLYGLOBALLY

Food insecurity –Food insecurity –need to produce need to produce

more healthy foodmore healthy food

Pillar DefinitionAvailability

Supply side of food security. Food is Food is physically availablephysically available to people and depends on production, stocks and trade.

Access Refers to the capacity of individuals to purchase food. Is determined by incomes, markets and prices.

Utilization Ability of people to use or take advantage of food through a healthy diet. It is influenced by care and feeding practices, food preparation, dietary diversity and intra-household distribution.

Stability Time dimension, related to continuous continuous access to foodaccess to food. Shortfalls in food availability are a sign of food insecurity.

FOOD SECURITY AND SOILSFOOD SECURITY AND SOILS

Food security: “when all people at all times have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life” (FAO, 1996).

Availability, access, utilization and stability

HOW TO OVERCOME FOOD INSECURITYHOW TO OVERCOME FOOD INSECURITY

SOILS ARE IMPORTANTSOILS ARE IMPORTANT!!- Basis for the provision of food, fibre, fuel and medicinal products.- Stores and releases water, both for plant grow and water supply.- Greatest pool of soil organic carbon.- Regulates carbon, oxygen and plant nutrient cycles (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, etc).- Sustains biological activity, diversity and productivity.- Habitat for seeds dispersion and dissemination of the gene pool.- Central role in buffering, filtering and moderation of the hydrological cycle.- Platform for urban settlement and as material for construction.

Soils are always there, not like water that once scarce, it has serious implications for life! Why to invest on soils if there is no visible needs such as in a drought? Soils just need some fertilizer and they will produce enough food. There are vast extensions of soils that could be used for many uses.

GENERAL PERCEPTION ABOUT SOILSGENERAL PERCEPTION ABOUT SOILS

““Because it is everywhere, we tend to Because it is everywhere, we tend to overlook the fact that soil is a limited overlook the fact that soil is a limited natural resource”. natural resource”.

CHALLENGES AHEAD CHALLENGES AHEAD

+60%Globally increase on food

production and also ecosystem services……..

Population growth

Further Pressure on

for

APPLICATION OF SOIL INFORMATION

Yield Gap Assessment

GSP Endorsement, Vision and GSP Endorsement, Vision and StructureStructure

The Vision of the GSP is the the improvement of improvement of the global governance of the limited soil the global governance of the limited soil resources of the planet resources of the planet in order to guarantee healthy and productive soils for a food secure world.

GSP was endorsed by FAO GSP was endorsed by FAO members during 23th COAG members during 23th COAG session and 145 FAO Council session and 145 FAO Council session. session.

Structure of the GSPStructure of the GSP

GLOBAL SOIL PARTNERSHIPGLOBAL SOIL PARTNERSHIP

Composed of

Guided/Advised by

Facilitated by

Through Regional Soil Regional Soil PartnershipsPartnerships

Plenary Plenary AssemblyAssembly

GSP Pillars of Action GSP Pillars of Action

1. Promote sustainable management of soil resources and improved global governance for soil protection and sustainable productivity;

2. Encourage investment, technical cooperation, policy, education, awareness and extension in soils;

3. Promote targeted soil research and development focusing on identified gaps, priorities and synergies among economic/productive, environmental and social dimensions;

4. Enhance the quality and availability of soil data and information: collection, analysis, validation, reporting, monitoring, integration with other disciplines;

5. Harmonization of methods, measurements and indicators for the sustainable management and protection of soil resources.

Progress to dateProgress to date

FIRST GSP PLENARY ASSEMBLYFIRST GSP PLENARY ASSEMBLY

Approval of the Rules of Procedure of the GSP Establishment of the Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils Request for the establishment of the Healthy Soils Trust Fund Request for the development and implementation of Plans of Action Establishment of Regional Soil Partnerships Request for updating the World Soil Charter

SECOND ITPS SESSION (7-11 April)SECOND ITPS SESSION (7-11 April)

Development of a Soils Brief as contribution to the “Sustainable Development Goals and the Post 2015 process”. Agreed ToC and process for the production of the first version of the new and seminal “Report on Status of World Soil Resources (RWSR)”, planned for issuance in 2015; Endorsement of the draft version of the World Soil Chapter (adopted in 1981 by FAO Conference). Endorsement of the Pillars 1, 2, and 5 Plans of Action.

STATUS OF WORLD SOIL RESOURCES STATUS OF WORLD SOIL RESOURCES REPORTREPORT

• This will constitute the core product of the ITPS and will be produced in a regular basis (every 3-5 years) using the outputs to be generated by the implementation of the Plans of Action (for example SoilSTAT).

• First version to be prepared by ITPS and invited recognized soil scientists from all regions in the world.

• Regional chapters on the status of soil resources in the regions will be an added value of this report. ESP will be the right venue to discuss on how to produce this regional chapter.

• It will be launched on 5th December 2015 as the main product of IYS.

THE WORLD SOIL CHARTERTHE WORLD SOIL CHARTER

• Considering concerns related to food production and soil degradation which alerted that 20% of the land’s capacity in developing countries was going to be affected if no actions were taken.

• Conscious of this situation, the 21st Session of the FAO Conference (November 1981), adopted the World Soil Charter.

• The Charter establishes a set of principles for the optimum use of world’s soil resources, for the improvement of their productivity, and for their conservation for future generations.

SOILS AND THE SDGsSOILS AND THE SDGs

Way forward Pillar 1 Plan of ActionDefinition of Sustainable Soil Management by GSP:“Management practices that protect soil and enhance its performance for the production of goods and provision of ecosystem services without degrading or impairing on- or off-site ecosystem functions.”

Way forward Pillar 4 Plan of Action

Global Soil Information SystemGlobal Soil Information System

Global grids of soil functional properties Global map of soil types Global soil profile database

Global Soil Monitoring System: SoilSTAT flexible design gradual implementation will fill the gap in the FAOSTAT

family

Synthesis, forecasting, interpretation and capacity development regular reports on “Status of World Soil Resources

Report” starting in 2015. supply of information to global reporting mechanisms diverse information products available online continuous capacity development programme

Way forward of Plans of Action

As per the Guidelines for Plans of Action of the Rules of Procedure.

Organization of International workshops

Establishment of global Working Groups

Preparation of Draft Plans of

ActionReview and

endorsement by ITPS

Endorsement by Plenary Assembly

Implementation through Implementation Plans at

Regional levels

REGIONAL SOIL PARTNERSHIPS

• Pacific Soil Partnership will be established in September 2014.

• Also, the North American Soil Partnership is under planning.

REGIONAL SOIL PARTNERSHIPS• The setting up of RSPs have started in 2011 along the

process of establishment of the GSP.

• Regional activities in NENA, LAC and Asia were funded in order to start the development and establishment of RSPs. The aim was to start with regional activities that could pave the path to functional RSPs.

• That experience was very helpful as it showed that RSPs are viable, though every region is very different and single model will not apply. However, guidelines for RSPs are much needed in order to guide regions on how the RSPs will work.

• At the next Plenary Assembly, Guidelines for RSPs will be submitted for consideration of GSP partners.

NENA Soil Partnership

• Launched in January 2012 through a project for developing the NENA Soil Information System Phase I (converting soil information for HWSD). The project consisted on capacity development and participation was very positive (although the challenging political situation in the region). Project activities will end in June 2014.

• Amman Communiqué was developed and the provisional Secretariat is at the Jordanian Ministry of Agriculture.

• Apart from the project activities, the NENASP did not move much institutionally forward. Because of that, a regional Conference will be organized in June 2014 in Amman in order to re-launch the Partnership and institutionally strengthening.

Amman, Jordan 1-5 April 2012

• The Plenary Assembly of GSP on 13 June 2013 requested establishment of a financial facility under FAO's rules for financial allocations to approved activities and projects in a transparent manner;

• The GSP Secretariat took due action and established in March 2014 the Healthy Soil Trust Fund Facility and Multi-Partner Platform;

• The programme symbol provided to this Trust Funds is PGM/MUL/2014-2017/GSP with programmatic budget of USD64 mil and 5 years of implementation period;

CRUCIAL COMPONENTS OF THE PLATFORMCRUCIAL COMPONENTS OF THE PLATFORM

Soil Conservation Soil Conservation and Soil and Soil

RestorationRestoration

Sustainable Soil Sustainable Soil ManagementManagement

Soil Research, Soil Research, extension and extension and

capacity capacity developmentdevelopment

Awareness Awareness raising, education raising, education

and policy and policy dialoguedialogue

Strengthening national Strengthening national soil institutionssoil institutions

Soil information Soil information Systems and SoilSTATSystems and SoilSTAT

WORLD SOIL DAY AND INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF WORLD SOIL DAY AND INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF SOILS 2015SOILS 2015

After two years of work by FAO-GSP Secretariat and Thailand, the 68th UNGA established and declared:

5 December as World Soil Day 2015 as International Year of Soils

FAO will function as the IYS Secretariat.

20152015

International Year of Soils 2015“Healthy soils for a healthy life”

Join this Partnership and contribute to its implementation!

•Shukran