Report of the Third Asian Soil Partnership Workshop "Towards a Regional Implementation Plan for Asia". Bangkok, Thailand, 14-16 December 2016

Asia is the Earth’s largest and most populous continent of the world, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. With approximately 3.9 billion people, the population density of the region is as high as 1.87 person ha-1, which is much higher than the world average of 0.54 person ha-1. Recognizing the risk for soil degradation in the region, the Bangkok Communique (May 2015) reported that soil degradation due to soil erosion (onsite and offsite effect), soil pollution, soil organi c matter and carbon depletion, soil sealing/capping, soil compaction, and soil acidity, salinity and alkalinity, is negatively affecting food production and associated food security, national economies, provision of ecosystem services, adaptation to climate change, and increasing poverty. The situation is being aggravated by climate change and unsustainable soil management practices partially resulting from the rapid economic development and urbanization characterizing some countries in the regi on. In order to preserve and increase soil health, and stop and revert soil degradation, the following priorities were identified: - Promotion of sustainable soil management (SSM) practices at all levels and in all land use types; - Restoration/rehabilitation of degraded soils with focus on soil erosion, nutrient imbalance, soil acidification, soil salinity and alkalinity, soil pollution, and loss of organic carbon; and - Enhancement of soil information by using state of the art methods of dig ital soil mapping and advocating for having national soil information systems. Addressing these priorities encompasses various aspects falling into the Five Pillars of Action of the Global Soil Partnership (GSP). At this regard, this implementation plan identifies outcomes and activities per each pillar, which are considered priority in this first phase of establishing the Asian Soil Partnership (ASP). It is envisaged that funding for these activities will be secured by capitalizing on existing in-country initiatives and activities, as well as by actively sourcing additional external funding.

Bibliographic Details

Format:	Meeting biblioteca
Language:	English
Published:	FAO ; 2016
Online Access:	https://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/BR396E http://www.fao.org/3/a-br396e.pdf
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