67 percent of Africa’s land is subject to degradation. This has reduced crop yields and puts at risk food security and economic development. Poor rural populations are particularly affected as they largely depend on the land for their livelihoods. Climate…
Global Soil Week participants agree on common statement on land and soils for the Sustainable Development Goals and Post-2015 Development Agenda process
Participants met on the last day of the GSW2013 to deepen the debate in the workshop titled “Targets and Indicators for Land and Soils in the SDGs and the Post-2015 Development Agenda” hosted by UNCCD – United Nations Convention to…
European Regional Soil Partnership established
European partners to the Global Soil Partnership, an initiative of the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), met at the Global Soil Week 2013 in Berlin and decided to establish a European Regional Soil Partnership. Together with…
Ending soon: Exhibition “Soil speaks” displayed in Berlin until 15 November 2013
25 October -15 November 2013 Open: Mon-Fri, 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Location: Heinrich Böll Foundation, Schumannstr. 8 , 10117 Berlin free entrance If the soil could speak, it would recount the history of 1 Million landless Indians who are…
Let’s talk about soil in Saarbrücken: Lokaler Aktionstag “Bodenlose Zukunft?”
Let’s talk about soil in Saarbrücken! Anlässlich der internationalen Global Soil Week in Berlin veranstaltete das Netzwerk Entwicklungspolitik im Saarland e.V. (NES) am 26. Oktober 2013 den lokalen Aktionstag “Bodenlose Zukunft?”. Neben Mitmach-Veranstaltungen organisierte das NES gemeinsam mit zahlreichen Partnern…
Food security starts from the ground up
by Fred Pearce With the start of Global Soil Week on 27 October, The World Bank’s Maurizio Guadagni has plenty to share about the importance of healthy soils to improve our agricultural systems. He is connected to the initiative Bridging Agriculture and…
Sweet Solution? Licorice could reclaim degraded lands
by Jeff Smith In the harsh climate of northwestern Uzbekistan, farmers are cultivating wild licorice on land that is salt-ridden near drainage canals. The tops of the shrubs, established either from roots or seed, are cut for livestock fodder and,…
On Africa’s farms, history doesn’t have to repeat itself
by Rolf Sommer For farmers in North America, Europe and parts of Asia, growing enough food has never been a problem thanks to a centuries-old practice that leads to high yields: the application of chemical fertilizer to soil. It has…
Stop the impervious coverage of the soil! Restore the fertility of our urban soil!
To launch the 2nd Global Soil Week (27-31 October 2013), IASS Executive Director Professor Klaus Töpfer, Volkert Engelsman from the “Save Our Soils” campaign and environmental activist Vandana Shiva broke up sealed soil at Potsdamer Platz and planted it with…
The Economics of Land Degradation (ELD) Initiative: A global initiative for sustainable land management
The Economics of Land Degradation (ELD) is an initiative for a global study on the economic benefits of land and land based ecosystems. The initiative highlights the value of sustainable land management and provides a global approach for analysis of…