The NENA Soil Partnership, established through a 2012 agreement with the Jordanian Ministry of Agriculture, aims to enhance sustainable soil management in the NENA region. Key accomplishments include the launch of the NENASP, training programs, and the development of soil information systems covering over 1 million km². Future plans focus on finalizing regional implementation strategies, mobilizing resources, and enhancing training for sustainable soil management.

1. NENA Soil Partnership
NENA Secretariat
Mahmoud Alferihat
Ministry of Agriculture of Jordan
Land & Irrigation Department

2. Introduction NENA Soil Partnership
FAO-Global Soil Partnership signed a Letter of Agreement with
the Jordanian Ministry of Agriculture /Land & Irrigation
Department in January 2012 funded by FAO/GSP the objectives
were to:
1- Establish the NENA Soil Partnership.
2- Develop the NENASIS Soil Information System Phase I.
3- The project is to finish in December 2015.

3. ACCOMPLISHMENTS
1-Launched of the NENASP and Amman Communiqué, provided in March 2012.
2-Training course in digital soil Mapping and Legacy data management January 2013 which 16
countries participated in incorporation with the ‘Royal Geographical Jordanian Centre’. ISRIC.
3- Workshop in June 2014, 12 countries participated.
4-NENA Soil Partnership Conference: towards a regional implementation plan on sustainable
management of Soil Resources 1st - 3rd of June 2015.

4. ACCOMPLISHMENTS
5- soil information and maps for more than 1 million km² has already
been compiled.
6- Establishment of a working group for each pillar
7- Regional priorities as the starting point for the development of the RIP
were identified:

5. Pillar one:
Assessment of soil quality and hot spots for immediate actions
Implementation of best practices and scaling out to similar areas
Monitoring and assessment of the impact of implementation on
achieving sustainable soil management
Pillar two:
Promote investment in soil rehabilitation and management
Enhance the role of policy, civil societies, and soil Institutions to
support soil management
Key messages to create awareness
Capacity building in soil related topics
Pillar three:
Changing from classical research to integrated research (system
approach)
Focused research on the economics of soil management
Establish center of excellence for soil research in the NENA region

6. Pillar four:
Establish soil information system for the NENA region
Establish indicators, monitoring and forecasting systems
Create tool(s) to help users to create soil information for
various demands
Pillar five:
Harmonization of sampling and analysis to facilitate data
exchange
Harmonization of assessment criteria for soil health
(salinity, erosion, degradation). Modified land degradation
assessment (LADA/WOCAT) to give more emphasis in soils
Harmonization of land evaluation criteria across the region
(capability and suitability)

7. Further Developments
Way forward:
1- Finalize the regional implementation plan
2- Seek political support in the region (LAS, regional FAO conference)
3- Resources mobilization to support the implementation
4- Training junior staff in sustainable soil management.
5- Establishment of the Steering Committee.
6- Finalize phase I of the NENASIS soil information system.
7- Continue developing capacities on digital soil mapping.
8- Finalize regional soil profile database to WRB Soil Map.

8. Thank you!