UN declared 2015 as the International Year of Soils

The 68th United Nations General Assembly has declared 2015 as the International Year of Soils. With this, UN celebrated the first official UN World Soil Day 2014 on 5 December 2014.

• The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has been nominated to implement the IYS 2015, within the framework of the Global Soil Partnership and in collaboration with Governments and the secretariat of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.
• The IYS 2015 aims to increase awareness and understanding of the importance of soil for food security and essential ecosystem functions.