Zineb Bazza Seventh session of the GSP Plenary Assembly | 5 - 7 June 2019 | FAO HQ, Rome, Italy

1. The Global Soil Doctors
Programme
Zineb Bazza

2. The Global Soil Doctors
Programme
• Farmer-to-farmer training programme aimed
at:
• Building the capacity of smallholder farmers on soil
science principles for practices of sustainable soil
management;
• Supporting governmental agencies and
organizations working on agricultural extension at
the field level.
• Developed for developing countries, but is
designed to be flexible

3. The Global Soil Doctors
Programme
Potential: to create a self-sufficient system that
will promote the practice of sustainable soil
management independently of national
resources

4. The Global Soil Doctors
Programme
Potential: to provide continuity and
dissemination of good practices after the end of
projects.

5. How does it work?
• GSP to identify promoters!
• Champion farmers are identified (the Soil
Doctors)
• Soil Doctors train other farmers in their
community on soil science principles, testing
their soils and on sustainable soil management

6. Tools for the promoters
• An Implementation Manual
• A Soil Testing Methods Manual
• A Soil Testing Kit (basic)
• Posters + Poster training aid

7. How was the programme
improved in the last year?
• Improvement of training material
• Inclusion of key topics as
requested (Soil Pollution and
Fertilizers)
• Determination of needs at the
field level

8. Next steps + what is expected
from the PA
• Official launch of the
programme (2019)
Interested countries and
promoters should come forward
• Pilot sites in 3 different
countries (Africa, Asia and
Latin America)
• Resources are needed for large
scale implementation

9. Thank you for
your attention!