GEORGE’S GRENADA, JANUARY 24, 2024 – The Partnership Initiaitive for Sustainable Land Management (PISLM), in collaboration with the Global Soil Partnership, through support from the Food and Agriculture Organisation and funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), will host a one-week training, strengthening the capacity of regional experts and stakeholders with the knowledge and tools needed to better understand and model soil organic carbon sequestration, a critical component in addressing land degradation.
Regional participants including scientists, land use officers, Lab technicians, GIS officers and other technical staff of Ministries of Agriculture and the Environment, that have previously participated in DSM trainings, are expected to explore and compare carbon gaps, correlate them to their country’s potential and strengthen their awareness on the recommended management strategies. Participants will also receive hands-on training on the use of tools, software and methods to calculate carbon stocks considering factors such as land use and soil types and generate maps showing carbon sequestration for each project country.
Project Manager for the Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS) multicountry soil management initiative for Integrated Landscape Restoration and climate-resilient food systems (CSIDS SOILCARE) Phase 1- Trevor Thompson, confirmed that this training is a key component of ongoing effort to support Caribbean nations in advancing their Land Degradation Neutrality Targets.
“We hope that this training, will equip regional practitioners with essential knowledge and practical skills, relating to soil carbon and be able to make the connection as they look to effectively manage their resources- particularly it will help them to report to the UNCCD Convention on meeting their 2030 targets on Carbon sequestration. It will also support Climate Change action to reduce greenhouse gases emission using soils.”
The training will be facilitated by Ms. Isabel Luotto, expert in Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration modelling of the Global Soil Partnership. She will share her expertise and help participants develop their own national SOC Sequestration maps, using data made available from the national soil sampling surveys which were undertaken under the SOILCARE Project.
It will help them to provide recommendations for consideration when making decisions relating to land use and soil type. The participants in the training will learn how to calculate the increases in SOC stocks that can be achieved under 4 different management scenarios, including projections under business-as-usual and under 3 different sustainable soil management strategies. This regional training will run from February 11-15, 2025, at the Grenada Radisson Hotel.
ABOUT PISLM
The PISLM for CSIDS is the only independent IGO with a mandate to help Caribbean SIDS meet their obligations under the UNCCD and land and soil areas of the Barbados Programme of Action (BPOA).
ABOUT GSP
The Global Soil Partnership (GSP) is a globally recognized mechanism established in 2012 with the mission to position soils in the Global Agenda and to promote sustainable soil management. The Partnership, hosted by FAO, works hard to improve soil governance to guarantee productive soil towards food security, climate change adaptation and mitigation, and sustainable development for all.
