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The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) will celebrate World Soil Day 2022 and launch its first global report on black soils at a hybrid event in Rome on December 5.
The theme of this year's event is Soils: where food begins. 95 percent of the food we eat comes directly or indirectly from our soils. However, about one third of our soils are already degraded, and the level of vitamins and nutrients in food has fallen
drastically over the last 70 years.
Meanwhile, more than 2 billion people are
affected by hidden hunger or micronutrient deficiency, while nearly 50 percent of
our household waste could be composted to nurture our soil.
When crops are harvested, nutrients are removed from the soil. These nutrients can be replaced by the addition of inorganic or organic fertilizers, but an
underuse, misuse, or overuse of fertilizers increases greenhouse gas emissions, degrades soil and water resources and induces potential harm to animals and humans.
The World Soil Day 2022 (WSD) and its campaign aim to raise awareness on the importance of maintaining healthy ecosystems and human well-being by addressing the key challenges related to soil fertility, soil health and nutrient imbalance. WSD is a unique
platform that celebrates soils and engages citizens around the world to improve soil health.
During this celebration, the report on the Global Status of Black Soils and
the Soil Atlas of Asia will be officially launched. Artistic performances and
keynotes will enliven the celebration and the winners of the Glinka World Soil Prize and
King Bhumibol WSD award will also be announced.
FAO Director-General QU Dongyu will deliver opening remarks at 12:25 CET, followed by speeches from leading officials and experts, including
Janusz Wojciechowski, EU Commissioner for Agriculture, Lee Seong-ho, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to FAO, and Victor Vasiliev, Permanent Representative of the
Russian Federation.
The event will be webcast here and
can also be followed by registering here.
Journalists interested in interviewing FAO experts about the report may contact the FAO newsroom ([log in to unmask]).
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RESOURCES FOR THE MEDIA
World Soil Day
Global Soil Partnership
Soils for nutrition: state of the art
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