FAO: International Soil and Water Forum 2024

The International Soil and Water Forum 2024 is co-organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives of the Royal Thai Government, and will be held in Bangkok, Thailand, in December 2024. The event marks the world’s first high-level action plan on halting and reversing soil degradation and water scarcity, both critical elements for ensuring food security and a healthier environment for all.

With the SDG deadlines looming ever closer, and with decades of mismanagement of the world’s soil and water behind us, there is an urgent need for a dramatic shift in approaches to protect and rejuvenate Mother Nature’s twin children – soil and water.

The forum will be held on 9-11 December 2024 and will convene Heads of State, Government Ministers and technical specialists from around the world to promote discussion and lead to action through Ministerial Dialogues, thematic sessions, side events, and a knowledge and technology fair. The event aims to pave the way for a sustainable and integrated approach to soil and water management, combining science, innovation, existing best practices and policy, to create a paradigm shift towards sustainable and resilient agrifood systems transformation at a time when the world is facing multiple environmental and socio-economic challenges including the climate crisis. The main objectives are to:

• Reinforce commitments to sustainable and integrated land, soil and water management as a foundation for agrifood systems transformation.
• Champion successful technological, institutional, governance and social innovations in managing water scarcity and land and soil degradation.
• Deliberate on the challenges and opportunities to advance integrated and sustainable soil and water management in the face of climate change.
• Identify technical and knowledge gaps, management challenges, and applied research priorities and promote partnerships and collaboration.
• Agree on a joint agenda for action.

The forum is organized along four themes:

1. Managing water scarcity.
2. Reversing land degradation, boosting land restoration.
3. Sustainable soil management.
4. Integrated climate resilient land, soil and water management.

Register here.