The Global Soil Laboratory Network (GLOSOLAN) was established in 2017 to strengthen soil laboratories through standardized methods and protocols, harmonize soil analysis methods, and provide certification for technical competencies. GLOSOLAN includes over 360 laboratories from Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Near East, and North America. Its main areas of work are quality assurance and control through proficiency tests, developing standardized operating procedures, providing laboratory equipment, promoting innovative technologies like spectroscopy, and establishing a network for fertilizer quality assessment.

1. Global Soil Laboratory
Network (GLOSOLAN)

2. Established in November 2017 to:
1. Strenghten the performance of laboratories through the use of
standardized methods and protocols
2. Harmonize soil analysis methods so that soil information would be
comparable and interpretable across laboratories, countries and
regions
3. [Aspiration] provide a certification for technical competencies in
laboratory analysis

3. A network of more than 360 laboratories
Africa
AFRILAB
Asia
SEALNET
Europe &
Eurasia
EUROSOLAN
Latin
America
LATSOLAN
Near East &
North Africa
NENALAB
North
America
Pacific
ASPAC
100 39 99 66 46 3 15

4. Main areas of work
QUALITY ASSURANCE AND QUALITY CONTROL
- Training on internal and external quality
control.
- All training material and PT report are
available at http://www.fao.org/global-soil-
partnership/pillars-action/5-
harmonization/glosolan/qaqc/en/

5. - Execution of regional and global proficiency tests (PTs).
2018 | regional PTs organized in Asia and Latin America
2019 | organization of the first global PT that involved 100 laboratories
from all regions and looked at 12 analytical parameters
Organic carbon (%)
Analytical results do not
depend on the region
It is valid to make a global
network
Frequency

6.  Low performing laboratories are assisted in terms of training.
 Good performing laboratories are given the possibility to compete for equipment.
Mean 3.1%
sd= 0.6%
Organic carbon (%)
Uncertainty (sd) can be
calculated
Comparisons at global level
are now possible
Frequency

7. Still, a “Resolution on the international
exchange of soil samples for research
purposes under the Global Soil Laboratory
Network (GLOSOLAN)” will be presented
at the 27th Committee on Agriculture in
2020 (COAG 27)
GLOSOLAN is also encouraging laboratories to organize
national PTs by establishing the first global customs
control procedures, which will be made available on the
GLOSOLAN webpage in June 2020.

10. Interested laboratories may have the opportunity to
provide samples to GLOSOLAN’s PT.
Becoming a GLOSOLAN PT sample provider does not only
benefit GLOSOLAN but it also gives the possibility to the
sample provider to have consensus values assigned to their
samples allowing them to be considered as a reference
material that may be used in Quality Control procedures.

11. Main areas of work
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES (SOPs)
SOPs go hand-in-hand with the execution of internal and
external quality control exercises
• GLOSOLAN is working to produce globally harmonized SOPs for known methods.
Priority is given to methods for the analysis of soil chemical parameters but we
will start to work on soil physical and biological parameters as well as on soil
contaminants soon.
• The methods to harmonize are decided at the annual meetings of GLOSOLAN
keeping into consideration regional priorities and requests

12. • In 2019, GLOSOLAN harmonized the SOPs on soil sample pre-
treatment, total carbon by Dumas dry combustion, organic
carbon by Walkley and Black, and calcium carbonate equivalent
by volumetric calcimeter method and by titrimetric method.

13. How does the harmonization process work?

14. What SOPs is GLOSOLAN working on in 2020?
All GLOSOLAN SOPs are available at http://www.fao.org/global-soil-partnership/pillars-
action/5-harmonization/glosolan/sops/en/ for free
- pH in water 1:2.5
- pH in CaCl2
- pH in KCl
- Organic carbon by Tyurin
- EC in saturated paste
- EC in water 1:5
- Available P by Bray I, Bray II, Olsen-P, Mehlich I and
Mehlich III
- Total nitrogen by Kjedhal and by Dumas
- Mineral nitrogen by 1 or 2 molar KCl

15. Main areas of work
LABORATORY EQUIPMENT
Equipment is an essential part of laboratory analysis but
remember that equipment alone does not make the
difference in getting reliable data.
GLOSOLAN believes in TRAINING FIRST! Before investing in new laboratory
equipment, lab managers should make sure that laboratory staff is properly and
regularly trained and that good laboratory practices, including equipment
maintenance and calibration, are implemented.
However, laboratories cannot work without equipment! GLOSOLAN will provide
laboratories that have a good proficiency in soil analysis with new equipment. The
proficiency of laboratories is assessed through the GLOSOLAN proficiency tests.

16. GLOSOLAN work on equipment
1. Promotion of good practices
Practical advices on what to do and
what not to do before, during and
after purchasing laboratory
equipment or receiving it as a
donation. Good practices on the
management of consumables and
hazardous substances are included.
Available at
http://www.fao.org/3/ca8241en/ca8241en.pdf

17. GLOSOLAN work on equipment
2. Establishment of a barter/donation system
• Several laboratories worldwide are asked to replace their still functioning equipment
on a regular basis. Instead of being disposed, this equipment can be donated to
laboratories in need
• Often, laboratories receiving donations are given equipment they are not in the
conditions to operate and/or well maintain because of several factors like the in-situ
availability of service providers for equipment maintenance, provision of consumables,
etc. for specific equipment brands. The same can happen to laboratories purchasing
new equipment themselves. This can result in the misuse, damage or disuse of the
equipment. GLOSOLAN is available to support laboratories willing to barter their well-
functioning equipment for free.
More information available at http://www.fao.org/global-soil-partnership/pillars-action/5-
harmonization/glosolan/equipment/en/.
Interested laboratories can send an email to GSP-Secretariat@fao.org and Lucrezia.Caon@fao.org

18. GLOSOLAN work on equipment
3. Development of online tools for smart decision
making
• GLOSOLAN is working to develop an online database providing laboratories with
information on the manufacturers and distributors serving every single country.
Information on the type of equipment and consumables they provide will also be
included.
• Attention will also be paid at the
provision of services like training on
the use and maintenance of the
equipment by manufacturers and
distributors. This will allow
laboratories to make informed and
responsible decisions at the time of
purchasing new equipment or
accepting it in donation.

19. Main areas of work
INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES: SPECTROSCOPY
22 April 2020 | Launch of the GLOSOLAN programme on spectroscopy

20. Main areas of work
INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES: SPECTROSCOPY
22 April 2020 | Launch of the GLOSOLAN programme on spectroscopy

21. GLOSOLAN work on spectroscopy is summarized
in two concept notes
Document available at http://www.fao.org/3/ca8431en/ca8431en.pdf
Main outputs:
1. A global soil spectral
calibration library
2. A freely available soil
property estimation service
3. Countries have capacity to
contribute to the global
spectral calibration library
and use the soil property
estimation service

22. GLOSOLAN work on spectroscopy is summarized
in two concept notes
Document available at http://www.fao.org/3/ca8429en/ca8429en.pdf
Main outputs:
1. Guidelines and standard
operating procedures for soil
spectroscopy
2. Enhanced capacity of
national soil laboratories on
the use of soil spectroscopy
analysis techniques
(organization of training)

23. At present, GLOSOLAN is working on:
1. Developing the global spectral calibration library
2. Writing guidelines and standard operating procedures
for soil spectroscopy
3. Identifying regional champion laboratories/institutes in
soil spectroscopy that can serve as reference to
laboratories interested to start using this technology or
are in need of help
Top experts and institutions on soil
spectroscopy are joining efforts to
support GLOSOLAN!
Join the team by sending an email
to GSP-Secretariat@fao.org
and Lucrezia.Caon@fao.org.

24. Main areas of work
FERTILIZERS QUALITY ASSESSMENT
GLOSOLAN received a request to look into fertilizers quality
assessment and it is now working on establishing the
International network on fertilizers quality assessment (INFA)
To be launched through an online meeting on mid-June
2020. Main objectives of the meeting:
 Define the international role and the specific
objectives of INFA.
 Develop the INFA work plan
 Identify international organizations like The
Fertilizer Institute that INFA should connect to
(identification of cooperation opportunities)

25. In order to prepare to the meeting
- Laboratories and institute responsible for the assessment of fertilizers
quality in their country are being identified
- Regional and international organizations, associations and institutes
working on fertilizers quality assessment and with agendas compatible
with that of INFA are being identified. As per the principles of
GLOSOLAN, INFA will try cooperate and limit duplication of efforts as
much as possible.
- All stakeholders working in the field of fertilizers quality assessment
are invited to complete the questionnaire at
https://forms.gle/Z5kYUpH5f6rpn6zUA. These inputs will be used to
open the discussion at the launch meeting of INFA.
Examples of the inputs we are collecting are herewith reported.
For more information on this activity and INFA or to get involved, please contact Lucrezia.caon@fao.org

28. Expectations
- INFA will develop global and when appropriate regionally harmonized methods
on fertilizers quality assessment
- Global proficiency tests on fertilizers quality will be performed. A database on
customs control procedures similar to that prepared on soil samples can be
developed
- Possibility to establish regional centers for training and doing the assessment of
fertilizers quality
- Capacity building: training and equipment
NATIONAL LEGISLATIONS
In order for countries to use INFA methods, we need to work on INFA and
on policy in parallel