April 2013: Culminating in a five day “Living Soil Forum” from 22-26 July 2013, a collection of global partners, including the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), have announced that they are organizing five weeks of hands-on, soil-related courses to regenerate soil conservation activities.

Entitled the “Summer of Soil,” the courses will take place in Järna, Sweden, and will focus on topics related to: organic agriculture; biodynamics and permaculture; seed saving; beekeeping; forest gardening; and urban gardening. The courses will offer a variety of ways to experience different methods of working with soil and food production. They will take place from 7 July to 9 August 2013.

The Living Soil Forum will be a five day event to engage key players in the agriculture system, from producers to consumers, with the goal of promoting cross sectoral collaboration to secure and restore healthy soils globally. [FAO Release] [Summer of Soil Website]