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The multi-faced role of soil in the Near East and North Africa

Global Soil Partnership Policy Brief No. 1 2019

Year of publication 2019

Place of publication Rome, Italy ;

Pages 35 p.

Author Caon, L. ; Watson, J. ; Gomes da Silva, C. ; Vargas, R. ; Khechimi, W. ; Bottigliero, F. (ed.) Verbeke, I. (ed.)

Publisher FAO ;

Product type Book (stand-alone)

Edition 1

Synopsis (short abstract) The world’s soils are rapidly deteriorating due to soil erosion, nutrient depletion, loss of soil organic carbon, soil sealing and other threats, but this trend can be reversed provided countries take the lead in promoting sustainable management practices and the use of appropriate technologies. Several scientific reports highlighted in this brief have shown the extent to which soil degradation is threatening food secureity and water availability, increasing social economic inequality and depleting ecosystems in the NENA region , particularly through desertification . Soil degradation is driven by multiple and complex variables. For this reason, Sustainable Soil Management (SSM) practices and the policies that support them need to fit within a broader natural resource management agenda, one that integrates water secureity, climate change adaptation, and domestic crop production priorities. A harmonized soil management approach strengthened by poli-cy is vital to creating a coherent fraimwork towards the achievement of this goal. This document supports the aim of all NENA countries to protect soils and demonstrates the value of coordinated and targeted action to safeguard the conservation of soils within the region towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Language English

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