This presentation was presented during the Asian Soil Partnership workshop that took place in Bangkok 14-16 December 2017. http://www.fao.org/global-soil-partnership/en/

2. Importance/Priorities of Pillar 3 for the Asian Region
 Pillar 3 aims to stimulate the implementation of targeted soil research as a
response to emerging demands for implementing sustainable soil
management practices and for increasing soil productivity.
 This should lead to a strategic combination of basic and applied research to
generate knowledge for the development of new or improved technologies,
for supporting development agendas, economic growth, environmental
sustainability and social development.
 As identified in the SWSR Report, rapid socioeconomic change and resulting
changes in land use and its management, as well as climate change, have
had great impacts on the soil resources in Asian countries.
 Since the GLASOD and ASSOD projects of the 1980s and 1990s, no extended
assessment of the status of soil resources has been carried out in the region.

3. STATUS OF WORLD’s SOIL RESOURCES REPORT
Threats ranking in Asia
1. Soil erosion
2. Organic carbon change
3. Salinization
4. Nutrient imbalance
5. Soil pollution
6. Soil sealing
7. Acidification
8. Compaction
9. Water logging
10.Loss of soil biodiversity

5. Main Activities for Pillar 3 in the Implementation plan
1. Identify knowledge gaps for identifying/developing indicators
for assessing the economic cost of soil degradation and the
value of its rehabilitation (stocks taking and gaps analysis).
2. Facilitate the coordination of regional soil research and policy
support to launch target R&D programs aimed at answering the
identified knowledge gaps for indicators development.
3. Identify regional and local emerging priorities of R&D activities
by compiling databases for R&D initiatives and outputs.
4. Foster synergy and engagement between research and end-
user communities, and donor agencies, to facilitate active
collaboration in a joint-learning approach.

6. Main Challenges for Pillar 3 Activities
Main Challenges
1. Stocktaking and gap analysis of evidences for soil research in each
country
2. Networking institutes and experts in the region to launch target R&D.
3. Developing databases to identify regional and local emerging
priorities
4. Promote active collaboration between research and other
stakeholders
Timeline
2017-2018: Stocktaking (1 & 3) and networking (2)
2019-2021: R&D promotion (2 & 3) and multi-stakeholder collaboration (4)

7. Problems for Pillar 3 Activities
 Limited mobilization of resources to the activities
 Weak domestic network among researchers in different
organizations
 Fewer collaborations between research and other stakeholders
Key to success:
 Greater participation in the activities
 Roles of Chair, Working Group and National Focal point

8. Pillar 3 WG at ASP WS in May 2015
Identified Gaps and their Priorities
1. Soil organic matter management (soil C dynamics,
crop residue & livestock waste management,
biochar)
2. Nutrient dynamics & management
3. Proper management of marginal soils
4. Remediation of problem soils
5. Development of indicators for SSM
6. Utilization of functions of soil microbes and
biofertilizers for sustainable agriculture
7. Usage of molecular biotechnologies for soil
diagnosis

9. Suggested Actions
1. Strengthening research networks in the region (ESAFS, international
R&D Centers)
 One paper about WG3 discussion is submitted to ESAFS 2015
 One session to discuss WG3 activity at ESAFS2017
 To link WG3 activities to related international Workshops/Conferences
 To communicate with international R&D Centers for designing possible
collaborative projects
Pillar 3 WG at ASP WS in May 2015
2. Strengthening commitment of governments and funding agencies
 Information for R&D in each ASP country is compiled and provided to
governments
 To organize science-policy interface Workshop in order to adjust
common targets between scientists and policy makers/funding
agencies
3. Increasing outreaching R&D results to farmers and other end-users
 Information for R&D outreaching activities in each ASP country is
compiled

10. Main Topics of Discussion for Pillar 3 Activities (1)
Activity 3.1: “Prove the return of investment in soil R&D” is too challenging,
 Change to “Compile evidences of the return of investment in soil R&D”.
Activity 3.1.1: “Indicators for assessing the economic cost of soil degradation
and the value of its rehabilitation” is too challenging,
 Delete “the economic cost of ” and “the value of “.
Activity 3.1.2: There is a question to establish “new” task forces, because this
requires that research projects are facilitated. Existing Pillar 3 WG can
facilitate this activity,
 Rephrase Activity Description.

11. Main Topics of Discussion for Pillar 3 Activities (2)
Activity 3.2: “Establish the Center of Excellence for Soil Research in the Asian
region (CESRA)” is not realistic,
 Change to establish an international network of “soil science institutes
and experts”, and Rephrase Activity Description of 3.2.1,….. But how the
network be established?
 Existing Pillar 3 WG and its extension would be realistic.
Activity 3.2.2: “Launch target R&D programmes” is too challenging,
 Change to “Develop research plans”.
Activity 3.2.3: Promotion of R&D and mobilization of financial resources,
 How we can approach? … Possible to merge to Activity 3.2.2?
Activity 3.2.4: Ensure governmental and institutional support,
 How we can approach?

12. Main Topics of Discussion for Pillar 3 Activities (3)
Activity 3.3.3: Adapt and translate the scientific message to inform all
stakeholders,
 Possible to integrate or collaborate with Pillar 2.
Activity 3.3.4: Identification of key partners and stakeholders,
 Possible to integrate or collaborate with Pillar 2 or Activity 3.4.1.
Activity 3.4.1: Identification of key stakeholders and potential donors,
 Overlap with Pillar 2, possible to collaborate with Pillar 2.
Activity 3.4.2: Promote multi-stakeholder discussions,
 Overlap with Pillar 2 , possible to collaborate with Pillar 2.
Activity 3.4.3: Carry out interdisciplinary soil R&D projects also involving,
participatory approaches
 Possible to merge to Activity 3.2.2.