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World Soil Day 2024 “Caring for Soils: Measure, Monitor, Manage”

5 December 2024, Video Message by Dr QU Dongyu, FAO Director-General for World Soil Day 2024 “Caring for Soils: Measure, Monitor, Manage”

Language English

Duration 3m54s

Edit Version Full Mix

Video Type Video Message

Date 12/05/2024 11:44 AM

File size 283.63 MB

Unique ID UF210TP

Production details and shotlist

Script Excellences,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

1. This year we mark the 10th anniversary of World Soil Day,
2. And the first global celebration outside of FAO headquarters.
3. I am particularly pleased that we can share this celebration with all of you participating in the UN Convention to Combat Desertification COP16 in Saudi Arabia, where the world’s leaders are calling for urgent action on restoring and sustainably managing soils and land,
4. While also connecting live from Thailand – a country dedicated to sustainable soil management and under whose leadership this day was established,
5. And with the virtual participation from colleagues at FAO headquarters in Rome.
6. This is a true reflection of the new digital world – connecting us from across the globe, united in our collective vision for a better future.
Dear Colleagues,
7. Healthy soils are essential for food security, nutrition, climate action, biodiversity and livelihoods, and much more.
8. Yet, every year we lose billions of tonnes of topsoil due to erosion alone, which is a major threat to soil health.
9. Salinization, pollution, compaction and the climate crisis also threaten our soils.
10. Globally, 1.6 billion hectares of land are degraded due to human activity, with over 60% of this damage occurring on valuable cropland and pastureland.
11. To reverse this trend, we need sustainable soil management based on accurate soil data and information for informed decision-making.
12. You cannot manage what you cannot measure. This is at the core of this year’s World Soil Day theme “Care for Soils: Measure, Monitor, Manage”.
13. Sustainable soil management practices will enable us to produce more with less.
14. FAO is committed to supporting countries tackle soil degradation, develop robust digital soil information systems, and improve soil and land management,
15. Working together with partners through key initiatives like the Global Soil Partnership, the Global Soil Laboratory Network, and the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils Initiative, among others.
16. FAO also promotes new soil technologies, such as soil sensors, digital mapping, and big data, to bring critical soil insights directly to farmers, scientists, and policymakers.
Dear Colleagues,
17. World Soil Day is an opportunity to honour and recognize those advancing soil conservation around the world.
18. Today we will award the two prestigious prizes: the Glinka World Soil Prize and the King Bhumibol World Soil Day Award.
19. I wish to congratulate the winners for their extraordinary achievements in soil research, management and awareness raising.
20. And I wish to thank the Russian Federation and the Kingdom of Thailand for the generous financial support for these awards.
21. I also urge participants at COP16 to take bold actions and make decisions to restore degraded agricultural lands, moving us closer to achieve the Four Betters: better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life – leaving no one behind.
22. Thank you.

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