JRC at the Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health (AFSH) Summit 2024

Soil health is commonly defined as the ability of soils to sustain the productivity, diversity, and environmental services of terrestrial ecosystems. 

Given the increased recognition of the importance of soil health at public, and the enhanced focus on sustainable soil management practices, the demand and need for soil health assessment is ever growing. 

Investing in data and information is crucial for sustainable soil management in African agriculture, as emphasized by the African Union's Soil Initiative for Africa. Soil information availability is vital for understanding, monitoring, and planning sustainable soil management across the continent.

The African Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit aims, amongst others, to produce a 10-year Action Plan alongside the Soil Initiative to enhance soil health and fertilizer efficacy.

JRC is hosting a side event in which the following questions will be addressed: 

• How is the state of soil health in 2024 and after the implementation of the 10-year Action Plan?   
• How do we assess soil health regionally and at continental scale with existing soil data?  
• What indicators and thresholds do we apply on existing soil data to define soil health?