THE ROLES OF GLOBAL SOIL PARTNERSHIPS IN SOIL EVANGELIZATION IN POST COVID-19 ERA

Abstract

Soil evangelization (SE) is a holistic trans-disciplinary approach to raise awareness about soil security and to address soil and land related challenges to sustainable development. It is a major function of the Global Soil Partnerships (GSP) as a voluntary body formed in 2011 by the FAO in collaboration with European Commission. The GSP facilitates SE through multidimensional activities such as organization of the World Soil Days, celebration of the International Year of Soils 2015, and enacting the world soil charter, to facilitate and support sustainable soil resource management in collaboration with relevant agencies. Their specific and future activities include connecting people with soils and raising awareness on their critical importance in our lives, development of soil educational materials and teaching methods, in view of COVID-19 pandemic, for various grades of students. Others include strengthening initiatives in connection with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) process and post-2015 and post COVID-19 agenda.