Message from Dr. Cherdsak Virapat, Director General,
Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific
(CIRDAP) on
The World Soil Day
Monday 5 December 2022, 11:00 A.M.
Dear Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Today, we celebrate the World Soil Day at the Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP). The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Conference, in June 2013, unanimously endorsed World Soil Day and requested official adoption at the 68th UN General Assembly. In December 2013, the 68th UN General Assembly declared 5 December as the World Soil Day (WSD). It is held annually on 5 December as a means to focus attention on the importance of healthy soil and to advocate for the sustainable management of soil resources1. The date of 5 December was chosen because it corresponds with the official birthday of the late H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great, King of Thailand, who was one of the main proponents of this initiative2
.
This year’s theme of the World Soil Day 2022 and its campaign “Soils, where food begins” aims to raise awareness of the importance of maintaining healthy ecosystems and human well-being by addressing the growing challenges in soil management, increasing soil awareness and encouraging societies to improve soil health. CIRDAP is proud to organize a webinar in collaboration with Bangladesh’s Department of Civil Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) for celebrating the World Soil Day entitled “The use of Vetiver Grass for Protection of Soil Erosion in Bangladesh”. The presentation will be given by Prof. Dr. Mohammad Shariful Islam. CIRDAP looks forward to promoting its emerging issues on integrated rural development programme including natural disaster risk reduction, climate change impacts, and soil & water resource management in the years to come.
