31 July 2014: The second Plenary Assembly of the Global Soil Partnership (GSP) welcomed the establishment of the Healthy Soils Facility. The Facility, intended to constitute a major operational arm of the GSP, will accelerate momentum for action and cooperation on soils through a multi-partner platform meant to align resource partners and maintain the visibility of approved projects.

The Healthy Soils Facility was established in response to a request by the first GSP Plenary Assembly in June 2013. Receiving an update on the Facility, the second Plenary Assembly, which met in Rome, Italy, from 22-24 July: appreciated the clarifications on the modus operandi of the Facility; noted the Facility’s role as a flexible tool at the service of GSP partners; and urged potential resource partners to make full use of the Facility.

The programme document presented to the Second Plenary Assembly contains a 45-page description of the Facility, including: its main context and strategic considerations; major substantive components; proposed activities for support and their intended outcomes; implementation modalities; and a summary budget.

On the role of the Facility, the programme document notes that it “needs to operate in a context of major threats against limited soil resources” and urgency of action to “reverse worrisome trends.” It also notes that the Facility: has its main components mapped to the five Pillars of the GSP; builds on the comparative advantages of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO); and corresponds to the FAO’s second Strategic Objective, namely making agriculture, forestry and fisheries more productive and sustainable.

The programme document also outlines for the Facility an indicative timeline of five years and a resource envelope of US$64 million, to be completed by in-kind contributions from GSP partners. The Second Plenary Assembly noted that the document would be revised according to developments in the various regions. [GSP Healthy Soils Facility Programme Document] [Second GSP Plenary Assembly Outcomes Website] [Report of the Second GSP Plenary Assembly] [IISD RS News Article on GSP Second Plenary Assembly]