www.fao.org/globalsoilpartnership This presentation was made during the 5th ITPS working session that took place at FAO HQ, Rome - Italy on 14-18 March 2016 and it presents the 3rd Pillar of action of the Global Soil Partnership © FAO: http://www.fao.org

1. GSP Pillar Action 3-
Promote targeted soil research and
development focusing on identified gaps
and priorities and synergies with related
productive, environmental and social
development actions

2. Soils R&D in general should help to better understand:
(i) soil processes and how they contribute to soil functions,
(ii) how we can efficiently manage (protect and enhance) soils so that they can
continue to fulfil these functions, including the rehabilitation of degraded soils, and
(i) how we better understand the geographic distributions of soil functioning and the
trajectories of future changes in these functions.

3. Summary of recommendations for implementation of the GSP Pillar 3 Plan of
Action
Recommendation 1: Compile for all partners evidence of the return of investment
in soil research, stressing the importance of soil functions (e.g., economic cost of
soil degradation and the value of its rehabilitation) for the provision of services by
ecosystems and in reaching the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Recommendation 2: Encourage inter- and transdisciplinary research and
development to support the five pillars to enhance the development of appropriate
sustainable soil management practices and systems, the applicable use of soil
information, the harmonization of methods and determination of best indicators,
and the dissemination of research results beyond the scientific community, to
globally support economic growth, environmental sustainability and social
development.
Recommendation 3: Capitalize on existing R&D research initiatives and outputs
through metaanalysis and synthesis reviews for all partners, to identify global,
regional and local emerging priorities.
Recommendation 4: Foster synergy and engagement between research and end-
user communities, and donor agencies, to facilitate active collaboration in a joint-
learning approach that can be effective in broadening the research focus and
enhancing its impact

5. Continued……..
Soil Acidification- Almost 1/3rd of soils globally affected with acidity either
with active or potential acidity
Salinization- Can due to geological reasons as well as man made
Waterlogging- Wetlands are unique and their soil management also requires
special intervention
Compaction- Widespread Mechanization can lead to soil crusting and
compaction
Sealing and Capping- Rapid Urbanization is posing a great threat
Soil contamination- contamination by chemicals (fertilizers, petroleum
products, pesticides, herbicides, mining)
Source- SWSR-2015

6. Regional Soil Threats Across the
Globe
Why and How Action is needed?
GSP envisages that the definition of R&D priorities is to be done at regional level
via the Regional Soil Partnerships (RSPs). Since many of the required actions will
be carried out by these RSPs, the recommendations are of broad nature, and
should guide implementation in accordance with regional and national contexts
and priorities.

7. Asia
• Soil erosion – Trend is increasing
• Organic carbon change- Trend is declining-
• Nutrient imbalance – Trend is faster rate of depletion-
• Loss of soil biodiversity-Region suffers rapid deforestation rate -
• Soil Acidification, Salinization , Waterlogging, Sealing and Pollution- Trend
is manageable problems, however, has to be addressed for a profitable
agriculture
Why urgent action needed?
• Diminishing Partial and Total Factor productivity-Response to added
nutrients declining
• Rapid nutrient depletion, acidity and salinization- Relook in our
approach , how we have managed in past
• Land Cover Change Assessment –Soil degradation is considered one
of the root causes of stagnating or declining agricultural productivity
– Develop Asian Spatial Soil Database
• Source- SWSR-2015 and own assessment

15. Rice Based Cropping Systems- Predominant in
Asia- Research Gaps
• Long-term Soil fertility Changes in rice- based cropping systems (RBCs)
• Carbon fluxes under submergence, aerobic, DSR,TP,SRI and other growing environments
• Rice productivity in relation to internal supply capacity of nutrients
• Yield Gap Assessment ( Yield Gap 1,2,3)
• Management of micronutrients in RBCs in sodic soil,acidic soils
• Screening of rice germplasms for nutritional content
• Nutrient and water requirement for aerobic and other different growing environments
• Management of crop residues in RBCs
• Nutrient use efficiency and soil productivity under early and late sown conditions
• Screening of genotypes suitable for acid soils and related infertility syndrome
• Nutritional status of rice in farmers’ fields in relation to productivity
• Nutrient requirement of contemporary released varieties and hybrids of different duration
groups
• Partitioning of zinc and iron in rice and prospects for grain enrichment
• Sustaining Soil and Crop productivity under different Rice growing environments
• Yield Maximization in rice through fortified approaches
• Addressing issues of High Arsenic Content and other heavy metals in soils and grains of rice
• Source- Own Assessment

16. Europe and Eurasia
• Sealing and capping- Trend is increasing- capping In densely populated Western
Europe soil sealing is one of the most threatening phenomena
• Salinization and sodification- Salinization is a widespread threat in Central Asia,
and it is challenging in some areas in Spain, Hungary, Turkey, and Russia.
• Contamination - Soil contamination is a widespread problem in Europe. The most
frequent contaminants are heavy metals and mineral oil.
• Organic carbon change- Peatland drainage in northern countries also leads to
rapid organic carbon loss. In Russia, extensive areas of agricultural lands were
abandoned that resulted in quick organic matter accumulation;
• Nutrient imbalance – imbalance In the western part of the region the loss of
nutrients is compensated by application of high doses of fertilizers. In the eastern
part the use of fertilizers is insufficient, and in most soils nutrient mining results in
intensive mineral weathering
• Soil erosion- Water erosion is active in all the cultivated mountainous and rolling
areas; the worst situation is observed in Turkey, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.
• Loss of soil biodiversity- there are almost no qualitative estimations of the
biodiversity loss in soils.
• Soil Acidification, Waterlogging and Sealing - Acidification due to acid rains was a
challenge in Northern and Western Europe. Waterlogging is mostly associated with
irrigation that is basic for Central Asian countries. Source- SWSR-2015

17. In accordance with the “Soil Thematic Strategy” of the commission of the European
Communities (European Commission, 2012), the following priority areas for soil
research are critical “to close the gaps in knowledge” and “strengthen the foundation for
policies”:
• Spatial and temporal changes in soil processes.
• Ecological, economic and social drivers of soil threats.
• Factors influencing soil related ecosystem services.
• Operational procedures and technologies for soil protection
and restoration.
Soil biodiversity as an environmental service.
• Soil as part of our natural and cultural heritage to be
properly preserved.

18. Africa South of the Sahara
• Soil erosion – Trend is increasing- Address issues related to the exposure of
the bare soil surface by cultivation, deforestation overgrazing and drought
• Organic carbon change- Trend is declining- Address issues related to
complete crop removal from farmlands, the high rate of organic matter
decomposition by microbial decomposition accentuated by high soil
temperature and termite activities
• Nutrient imbalance – Trend is faster rate of depletion- Address issues
related to fertilization which has not been soil and crop specific, farmers are
unable to pay the price for fertilizers and the inability to follow the rates
that are recommended
• Loss of soil biodiversity-Region suffers the world's highest annual
deforestation rate - Address issues related to Cultivation, introduction of
new species, oil exploration and pollutions which reduces the population of
soil organisms thus reducing faunal and microbial activities
• Soil Acidification, Salinization , Waterlogging, Sealing and Pollution- Trend
is manageable problems, however, has to be addressed for a profitable
agriculture Source- SWSR-2015

19. Latin America and the Caribbean
• Soil erosion – Trend is increasing- Widespread across the region.
Landslides are accelerated by land use in highland areas
• Organic carbon change- Trend is declining- It is promoted by
deforestation and monoculture.
• Nutrient imbalance – Trend is faster rate of depletion- Most countries
have negative nutrient balances due to over-extraction. In some
cases over fertilization also causes nutrient imbalance
• Loss of soil biodiversity- Suspected to occur in deforested and over-
exploited agricultural area.
• Contamination-Industrial sources cause soil contamination
• Soil Acidification, Salinization , Waterlogging, Sealing and Pollution-
sodification Caused by inadequate irrigation technology and water
quality. Land use changes also promote salinization. Acidification is
still limited to some areas with overuse of N fertilizers
• Source- SWSR-2015

20. • 1. make an inventory of ongoing initiatives as
well as past ones excuted in the last 10 years in
the region
• 2, Define priorities of soil research based on
needs and results found
• 3. establish a netwok of prioritized research by
the main agroecological areas of the region( like
acidity, minimun tillage, agroecological zonning)
• 4.Streghthen the national and regional
capacities for applied research in soils

21. Near East and North Africa
• Soil erosion – Trend is increasing- Wind erosion and dust storms are a
problem throughout the region
• Organic carbon change- Trend is declining- High temperatures
throughout most of the region result in a very high turnover of soil
organic Carbon.
• Nutrient imbalance – Trend is faster rate of depletion- Address issues
related to fertilization which has not been soil and crop specific, farmers are
unable to pay the price for fertilizers and the inability to follow the rates
that are recommended
• Salinization , Waterlogging, Sealing and Pollution- Salinization is a
widespread problem in the region due to the high temperatures,
inappropriate irrigation practices and sea water intrusion in coastal
areas cappingSubstantial expansion of housing, quarrying (Lebanon,
Kuwait) and infrastructures is a concern
• Loss of Biodiversity -The extent of loss of soil biodiversity due to
human impact is largely unknown in the NENA region Source- SWSR-
2015

22. Southwest Pacific
• Acidification- A widespread and serious problem that has the
potential to cause irreversible damage to soils particularly in
southern Australia.
• Soil Erosion- Unsustainable rates of soil loss are associated with
logging and clearing in several Pacific nations
• Organic Carbon Changes- The conversion of land to agricultural uses
has generally caused large losses of organic carbon in soils.
• Nutrient Imbalance- Rapid intensification of agriculture in New
Zealand and more recently Australia is causing significant
environmental impact, particularly due to the large increase in
fertilizer use and ruminant animals.
• Land sealing and capping- Loss of good quality agricultural land due
to urban and industrial expansion is an emerging and potentially
major problem for all countries in the region.
• Salinization- Salinization is a widespread and expensive problem in
Australia and some atoll islands. Source- SWSR-2015

23. Research and Development to strengthen resilience of food
production system to disaster and climate change
Increased availability and better access to traditional and improved
crop and animal diversity
Participatory development of agroforestry, crop and livestock
productivity enhancing technologies
Develop varieties of crops resilient to salinity and climate
change
Develop soil health technologies
Development of integrated crop management
technologies

24. Developing improved Livestock systems
Improved agroforestry systems
Development of CC adaptation & mitigation technologies
Development of value chain products from Agroforestry
systems in the Pacific
Evaluation of livelihood impacts from agribusiness development
opportunities in the Pacific
Improve the dissemination and adoption of new agricultural
production technologies
Strengthen governance and organisational capacities of PIRAS
Build RAS capacity to effectively service growing demands on RAS
Strengthen extension research, information sharing and technology
transfer

25. Evaluation of livelihood impacts from agribusiness
development opportunities in the Pacific
Improve the dissemination and adoption of new
agricultural production technologies
Strengthen governance and organisational capacities of
PIRAS
Build RAS capacity to effectively service growing
demands on RAS
Strengthen extension research, information sharing and
technology transfer

26. Global and regional indicators will have to be determined to
evaluate implementation, performance and usefulness of
the Plan at global, regional and local scales.
They include:
• Outputs from workshops/writeshops
• Number of developed initiatives and prepared proposals
• Individuals trained (and corresponding demographics)
• Technologies adapted/developed
• Number of experts that were consulted/responded to
requests from the GSP and RSPs
• Type and amount of outreach efforts (e.g., videos,
publications)
• Impact on sustainable development

27. Thank You