The Global soil Partnership - overview

The Global Soil Partnership - overview

Ronald Vargas, GSP Secretary

Soils are in the agenda and there are emerging

issues:Climate change adaptation and mitigation The role of soils in nutrition and healthy foodThe role of SSM in addressing water scarcity in

agricultureSoils and Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)Soil borne diseasesSoil contamination and human healthAddressing degradation and restoration

Importance of Soils in Climate Change

• Soils – host largest terrestrial carbon pool;• Land use and land use change among the largest sources of

greenhouse gas emissions;• Soils - important in both the climate change challenges (CO2

emissions) and solutions (soil C sequestration);• Sustainable soil management is the key to increase soil

organic matter content;

Steered byPlenary Assembly

PartnersRegional Soil Partnerships

Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils GSP Secretariat

Composed by

Guided/advised byFacilitated by

Through

The Global Soil Partnership is an interactive, responsive and voluntary partnership, open to governments, regional

organizations, institutions and other stakeholders at various levels. It includes two types of partnership:

•GSP partners Governmental Organizations, Universities, Civil institutions, Research centers, Soil science societies, UN agencies, NGOs, Private companies, Farmer associations, Donors, etc.

more than 450 partners

•GSP national focal points designed by FAO members countries (partners by default to the GSP).

Collate and distribute relevant communications, information material and invitations to meetings and consultations, received from the GSP Secretariat, to the most appropriate government authorities and/or national institutions, as well as any other relevant body not already registered as a GSP partner, dealing with soil matters within their country.

http://www.fao.org/global-soil-partnership/overview/partners/gsp-partners/en/

http://www.fao.org/global-soil-partnership/overview/partners/country-focal-points/en/

Pillar 1Promote SSM of soil resources for soil protection, conservation and

sustainable productivity

Pillar 3Promote targeted soil research and development focusing on identified gaps, priorities and synergies with

related productive, environmental and social development actions

Pillar 5Harmonization of methods, measurements

and indicator for the sustainable management and protection of soil resources

Pillar 2Encourage investment, technical cooperation, policy, education, awareness and extension in soil

Pillar 4Enhance the quantity and quality of soil data and information: data collection (generation), analysis, validation, reporting, monitoring and

integration with other disciplines

2015: the year of soils

• International Year of Soils: healthy soils for a healthy life: Revised World Soil Charter, Status of the World’s Soil Resources report.

• Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

• Land Degradation Neutrality Target

• Paris Agreement

Revised World Soil Charter

Overarching goal: Ensure that soils are managed sustainably and degraded soils are rehabilitated or

restored• SSM Definition•Multi-level, interdisciplinary initiatives by many stakeholders

“Careful soil management is one essential element of sustainable agriculture and also provides a valuable lever for

climate regulation…”“All soils … provide ecosystem services relevant to global

climate regulation…” Endorsed!

Calls on governments to:“Explicitly consider the role of soil management practices in planning for

adaptation to and mitigation of climate change and maintaining biodiversity.”

Status of the World’s Soil Resources Report

• “Baseline” to track the status of the world’s soils• Climate change is a strong driver of

soil change

Important role of SOC sequestration to increase soil’s ability to buffer impacts of climate change while contributing

to food security and nutrition

2016 - Voluntary Guidelines for Sustainable Soil

Management• Accepted by recent COAG • Highlights importance of SSM for:

• Climate change adaptation and mitigation (Paris Agreement)

• Commitment to combat desertification and mitigate effects of drought

Section: Enhance soil organic matter (SOM)• SOM is strategic for climate change adaptation and mitigation

• Global SOM stores should be stabilized/maintained • Implementation of appropriate land use and soil management

to increase SOC

Develop a Global SOC map by Dec 2017 as baseline

In support of SDG Indicator 15.3.1

Through support and involvement of FAO member countries (bottom-up

approach, as every country develops its own map under agreed specifications)

GLOBAL SOIL INFORMATION SYSTEM

Global Symposium on Soil Organic Carbon 2017 (GSOC17)

• Co-organized by FAO/GSP/ITPS, IPCC, UNCCD/SPI, WMO; • Aim:• Review the role of soils and SOC in

the climate change agenda; • Ensure incorporation of soil and SOC

into the regular IPCC Assessment Reports.

• Outcome• Scientific and strategic evidence of

options for inclusion of soil and SOC in IPCC Ars.

21-23 March 2017, FAO HQ, Rome

The Asian Soil Partnership Status & Governance

Ronald Vargas, GSP Secretary

February 2012

Establishment of the Asian Soil Partnership (ASP) through the Nanjing Communiqué

The partnership consists of the following countries:

• East Asia: China, DPR Korea, Japan, Mongolia and Republic of Korea• Southeast Asia: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia,

Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor Leste and Vietnam • South Asia: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan

and Sri Lanka

Countries without any focal points:

Brunei Darussalam, Maldives, Singapore, Timor Leste

The Steering Committee

Chair: ThailandSecretariat: FAO RAP

Members from East Asia: Republic of Korea, Mongolia, (Japan to be confirmed)

Members from Southeast Asia: Cambodia, Thailand, IndonesiaMembers from South Asia:

India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka

ASP Governance

Focus on establishing the ASP Chair and Secretariat;

Fully dedicated to develop an inclusive Asian Implementation Plan;

Participation in various global activities;

Development of the Soil Doctors Programme

What was done since May 2015

ASP Governance – Terms of reference


CHAIR

Note: The Chair could belong to one of the most representative regional institutions with interest in soils in the same geographical area.

The Chair of the Regional Soil Partnership has the task(s) of:

• Participate to the GSP Plenary Assembly and report on regional activities;• Represent the Regional Soil Partnership at official meetings, conferences and other

national, regional and global events;• Organize and chair the Steering Committee meetings.


SECRETARIAT

Note: the Secretariat of the RSP should be a governmental entity or institution – either national or international with the task of providing a modicum of secretariat support services to the regional soil partnership. Partners participating in the RSP may agree on an eventual rotation formula for such functions, with well-defined timeframes. The chosen partner would need to designate an official who could devote sufficient time to deal with RSP matters in coordination with the GSP Secretariat.


SECRETARIAT

The Secretariat of the Regional Soil Partnership has the task(s) of:

• Broadening participation of potential GSP Partners in the respective region; • Monitoring the outcomes and effectiveness of the activities in the implementation

plans;• Preparation of progress reports to the general organs of the GSP;• Preparation of financial reports and annual work plans;• Capacity building, including the identification of opportunities for “in-kind”

contributions to the organization of training events (facilities, south-south exchanges of experts, etc.);

• Engagement with the ITPS on knowledge management, as appropriate; • Support the Steering Committee in implementing the activities as set out in the

regional implementation plans,


STEERING COMMITTEE

Note: The Steering Committee could be envisaged to be the highest governance body, tasked to provide strategic direction to the RSP and advise the Chair in connection with decision-making on important operational steps (calls for meetings, e-mail consultations, formulation of cooperation agreements on specific tasks, finding sources of financing, etc).

Members of the Steering Committee should be GSP partners of the region and be selected through an open and transparent process, taking account of balanced representation of geographic areas (i.e. within the region), gender as well as stakeholder groups.


STEERING COMMITTEE

The Steering Committee of the Regional Soil Partnership has the task(s) of:

• Mobilization of resources to support the implementation of regional implementation plans.

• Implementation of activities as set out in the regional implementation plans; • Advocacy activities in line with the principles of the World Soil Charter; • Provision of technical and financial support to the implementation of the activities

at country level;• RSPs Partners and the eventual Steering Committees are encouraged to explore

funding opportunities from local, national or international sources. Through in-kind contributions, the RSP should be able to support joint activities. These in-kind contributions are normally offered preferably for use within the region, but they could also be used for cross-regional purposes.


WORKING GROUPS RELATED TO THE FIVE GSP PILLARS

Note: Working groups related to the five GSP Pillars, may be set up to contribute to the intensive process of developing detailed implementation plans for the regions.

The working groups of the Regional Soil Partnership have the task(s) of:

• Development of regional implementation plans, expanding on the Plans of Action under the five Pillars of the GSP, and involving other regional partners and coordinators;

• Technology transfer, especially in terms of sharing information on successful sustainable soil management measures where countries face similar soil conditions and issues;

• Provision of technical support to the implementation of the activities at country level.

Challenges

• Strengthening of the ASP (governance, partners and actions); • Endorse the Asian Implementation Plan and pursue its execution; • Resource mobilization for executing the actions. We should not just

way for resources to come from external donors. We shall mobilize national investment as well;

• Implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines for Sustainable Soil Management;

• Implementation of the Soil Doctors programme;• Development of the Soil Atlas of Asia;• Development of National Soil organic Carbon maps;• and more…..

Thanks for your attention

Education

The Global soil Partnership - overview