This event combines policy and science to shed a light on soil biodiversity as a nature-based solution to many of today's global challenges. The symposium enabled high level attendees, scientists, businesses, partners and panelists to engage in fruitful discussions and gain reliable knowledge on soil biodiversity.
GSOBI21 brought together over four thousands international experts with the aim of reviewing the role of soil biodiversity in the context of food security, climate change and ecosystem restoration. It collated scientific evidence that could be assessed in the framework of the Agenda 2030 (SDGs).
During the Symposium hundred and twenty oral presentations will be given and above fifty scientific posters displayed under three main themes:
- THEME 1: State of knowledge on soil biodiversity;
- THEME 2: Soil biodiversity in action;
- THEME 3: Soil biodiversity shaping the future of food systems.
19 April
On the first day, the Symposium an opening remark was given by H.E. Virginijus Sinkevicius, Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, European Union
Keynote speeches were delivered by (see http://www.fao.org/webcast/home/en/item/5542/icode/)
- Ms Rosa Poch (ITPS),
- Ms Diana Wall (GSBI),
- Mr Wim Van der Putten (Netherlands Institute of Ecology),
- Ms Daphne Miller (University of California), and Mr Felipe Pasini (Agenda Gotsch).
20 April
- Project ACORN: Stimulating smallholder agroforestry at scale - Ms Martine Jansen, RABOBANK
- Soil biodiversity and physico-hydraulic function: How earthworm and plant root interaction contribute to ecosystem services? - Mr Jamal Hallam, National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA)-CRRA-Agadir, Morocco
- Regard and protect ground-nesting bees as part of soil biodiversity - Ms Stefanie Christmann, ICARDA, Morocco
21 April
- Towards a large scale assessment of soil biodiversity - Mr Alberto Orgiazzi, Joint Research Centre, European Commission
- Response of soil biological indicators under long-term wheat production management practices in a semi-arid climate - Ms Elmarie Kotzé, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
- Earthworms and microbial diversity under conventional and organic farms. Interaction with actual and inherited pesticides - Ms Esperanza Huerta Lwanga, Wageningen University, Netherlands
22 April
- Soil health and biodiversity in relation to UN SDGs - Mr Rattan Lal, SPI-UNCCD
- Mainstreaming biodiversity across agricultural sectors - Ms Irene Hoffman, FAO
Andy Murray, Christopher Marley and Suzette Bousema - passionate photographers, artists and naturalists - showed their interaction and work with soil biodiversity.
Resources
There is increasing attention on the importance of biodiversity for food security and nutrition, especially above-ground biodiversity such as plants and animals. However, less attention is being paid to the biodiversity beneath our feet, soil biodiversity, which drives many processes that produce food or purify soil and water. This summary for policy makers presents the key findings of the main report and is the result of an inclusive process involving more than 300 scientists from around the world under the auspices of the FAO’s Global Soil Partnership and its Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils, the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Global Soil Biodiversity Initiative and the European Commission. The summary for policy makers presents concisely the state of knowledge on soil biodiversity, the threats to it and the solutions that soil biodiversity can provide to problems in different fields. This report is a valuable contribution to raising awareness of the importance of soil biodiversity and highlighting its role in finding solutions to today's global threats.
FAO (2021) The magical world of soil biodiversity. A collection of 10 children's stories from around the world. 168 pp. 
In the framework of World Soil Day 2020, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS), and the Global Soil Partnership (GSP) launched a children's book contest on Soil Biodiversity with the motto "Keep soil alive, protect soil biodiversity". The book contest on soil biodiversity has given visibility to the importance of soil organisms and raised awareness on the urgency of protecting soil biodiversity. The soil biodiversity book competition highlights the importance of soil organisms and raises awareness of the urgent need to protect soil biodiversity among a young audience (children aged 6-11 years). This collection of 10 stories includes the best entries received from a total of 80 books spanning over 60 countries.
- Main report : FAO, ITPS, GSBI, SCBD, and EC (2020). State of knowledge of soil biodiversity – Status, challenges and potentialities, Summary for policymakers. Rome, FAO. 40pp
- Summary for policy makers
- The State of Knowledge of Soil Biodiversity. Enter a hidden world
- Global Soil Partnership
- Global Symposium on Soil Biodiversity
- World Soil Day 2020 Keep soil alive, protect soil biodiversity
- FAO Soils Portal
The JRC and the Global Soil Biodiversity Initiative (GSBI) publish the first-ever Global Soil Biodiversity Atlas that maps the soil biodiversity of the entire planet. This unique Atlas pays tribute to soil – the silent engine that keeps the planet alive – by providing a detailed analysis of soil organisms and the threats to soil biodiversity at global scale. The Atlas was launched by the JRC and GSBI at the 2nd UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) in Nairobi on 25 May 2016.
This book is a digital, constantly growing book of soils for everyone interested in soils and in raising awareness for the variety and endangerd status of soils.
Via SOILBOOK, registered users are able to upload new chapters to the book of soils by documenting soil profiles anytime and everywhere as well as to browse through the contributions of other users.
Via SOILBOOK, registered users are able to upload new chapters to the book of soils by documenting soil profiles anytime and everywhere as well as to browse through the contributions of other users.
Social media
#SoilBiodiversity: https://trello.com/c/TemuSp2v/205-protecting-soil-biodiversity-what-you-can-do
If you want to spread the word on #SoilBiodiversity, check out the Trello board 👉 https://trello.com/b/PZAW2Vb9/fao-soils-content
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