The first World Soil Charter (WSC) was conceived and formulated, negotiated and adopted by the FAO member countries in the 1981 FAO Conference. It was a major normative instrument agreed by member states, and that the Global Soil Partnership (GSP) was duty-bound to promote its principles. The challenges faced by the world have become more evident and severe in the intervening three decades.

Attainment of MDG-7 (environmental sustainability) requires the realization of sustainable agriculture systems. There is now inexorable pressure on world agriculture to play a much wider range of roles than ever before.

This guidelines booklet is addressed to the LADA partner countries and, more in general, to the increasing number of countries which are expressing their interest in implementing the LADA approach for mapping Land Degradation. The specific objective is to provide guidelines for the identification, selection and description of nationally based indicators of land degradation. The LADA approach is well defined by a range of specific documents and manuals. The National indicators common to all countries are based on the LADA-Wocat QM manual.

Agricultural productivity in Zimbabwe, like in many other countries in SSA has been declining over the years despite the numerous advancements made in agricultural technology development. Yield levels usually averaging below 1t ha-1 have resulted in persistent cereal deficits despite the large area put under production each year.

En un mundo cada vez más poblado y con unos patrones de consumo cambiantes, la humanidad aún puede hacer mucho para planificar y gestionar la futura evolución de los recursos hídricos y del suelo. Después de varias décadas de inversiones escasas, gestión inadecuada y falta de gobernanza, las pruebas son evidentes.

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Meeting symbol/code: GSPPA: II/2014/5
Session: Sess. 2

There is a urgent need for a better understanding of the risks of soil degradation and their geographical distribution as well as a better knowledge of where degradation occurs at present. it would be desirable to combine soil conservation activities with other elements for increasing crop production.Erosion, salinity and alkalinity and the loss of soil fertility seriously reduce the natural potential of soils to produce food fibres. During the meeting, many criteria to assess the various types of soil degradation were outlined by the experts.

Meeting Name: FAO Committee on Forestry
Meeting symbol/code: COFO/2016/7.3
Session: Sess. 23

Meeting symbol/code: GSPPA: II/2014/7
Session: Sess.2