The 6th Asian Soil Partnership Meeting, held on February 4-5, 2021, discussed developments in soil research and regional collaborations. Key topics included the Soil Atlas of Asia, which aims to enhance awareness and policy support through comprehensive soil data, and the establishment of regional databases on soil research and development activities. The meeting also emphasized collaborations with the Center for the Study of Research in Agriculture (CESRA) and the finalization of country profiles and regional maps.

1. 6th Asian Soil Partnership MEETING | 4-5 February 2021
Item 1
GSP developments of
regional interest
Ms. Lucrezia Caon
NENA Soil Partnership coordinator
Item 3
Pillar 3 (Research)
Current initiatives, new proposals
and next steps
By Kazuyuki Yagi
Japan
ASP Chair for Pillar 3

2. 6th Asian Soil Partnership MEETING | 4-5 February 2021
Reporting Items
1. The Soil Atlas of Asia
2. Regional Databases on R&D
3. Collaboration with CESRA

3. 6th Asian Soil Partnership MEETING | 4-5 February 2021
1. The Soil Atlas of Asia
■ The comprehensive overview of the soils of Asia through colorful
maps and illustrations to explain the diversity of soil across Asia in
a simple and clear manner.
■ The Soil Atlas of Europe (2005), the Northern Circumpolar Region
(2008), Africa (2012), and Latin America (2017) have been already
published.
■ The Atlas aims to:
(1) raise awareness;
(2) support policies and public actions;
(3) provide educational material;
(4) provide a baseline for further soil
assessments.

4. 6th Asian Soil Partnership MEETING | 4-5 February 2021
■ The kick-off meeting of the Editorial Board was held in Manila,
Philippines, March 2018, and 2nd (Korea, April–May 2019), 3rd
(online, July 2020), and 4th (online, November 2020) Editorial Board
meetings.
■ Includes ASP region + central and west Asia
■ The atlas will contain nine key chapters,
plus annexes, addressing
1. An Introduction
2. The Soils of Asia
3. Maps
4. Geographical perspectives
5. Issues affection soils in Asia
6. Measures to combat soil degradation
7. National summaries
8. Policies, education and outreach
9. Conclusions
1. The Soil Atlas of Asia

5. 6th Asian Soil Partnership MEETING | 4-5 February 2021
Updates
■Update on country profiles should be finalized by January
2021.
■The regional WRB map is finalized by the end of January 2021.
However, countries can keep on improving it until the Atlas is
published.
■Bilateral meetings with countries or small groups of countries
are doing now to discuss border issues.
1. The Soil Atlas of Asia

6. 6th Asian Soil Partnership MEETING | 4-5 February 2021
WRB map at the time of the 4th EB meeting

7. 6th Asian Soil Partnership MEETING | 4-5 February 2021
The 5th EB meeting (on line, coming soon)
■Review the status of the maps
⏤ link to progresses made through the meetings of small
groups of countries in December 2020 and January
2021
■Presentation of the final country profiles
■Focus on stories:
⏤ note that some stories can become real “chapters” in
the Atlas
■Focus on “Soil forming processes”
■Focus on “Soils of Asia”
1. The Soil Atlas of Asia

8. 6th Asian Soil Partnership MEETING | 4-5 February 2021
2. Regional Databases on R&D
■ Regional inventories, or stock-taking, as the basis
for major challenges for ASP Pillar 3 activities;
■ A request from GSP Pillar 3 secretary;
■ A proposal to develop simple databases for each
member country on:
⎼ Leading, or Core, soil science R&D institutions
⎼ Major soil science R&D projects
⎼ Research priorities

9. 6th Asian Soil Partnership MEETING | 4-5 February 2021
2. Regional Databases on R&D
■ ASP Pillar 3 chair will contact ASP Pillar 3 WG
members at each country after this Meeting.
All national focal points will receive a table to
complete.
Deadline for completing the table: May 2021
■ Possible collaboration with the CESRA activity

10. 6th Asian Soil Partnership MEETING | 4-5 February 2021
3. Collaboration with CESRA
■ In particular, collaboration with the Department
of Soil Research and Development (DSRD)
■ Any feedbacks are welcome …

11. 6th Asian Soil Partnership MEETING | 4-5 February 2021
Thanks for
your attention