Some Major Takeaways: International Year of Soils: 2015

Abstract

On December 5, 2015, hundreds of events and initiatives took place across the world to celebrate soils. This World Soil Day is special for more than a singular reason. The 68th UN General Assembly declared 2015 the International Year of Soils (IYS). The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has been nominated to implement the IYS 2015, under the agenda of the Global Soil Partnership, together with the Governments and the secretariat of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). The IYS 2015 aims to increase awareness and understanding of the importance of soil for food security and essential ecosystem functions. It has defined some definite broad based objectives to increase public awareness and participation to protect soils in the changing climate scenario. United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) identified healthy soils as the foundation for food, fuel, fiber and even medicine as it kicked off International Year of Soils on the first-ever World Soil Day.