The Cabinet, during its
meeting on 7 January 2014, acknowledged a United Nations resolution to declare
His Majesty the King’s birthday, 5 December, World Soil Day and to declare 2015
as the International Year of Soils.
The Ministry of Agriculture
and Cooperatives reported to the Cabinet that the 68th Session of the United
Nations General Assembly on 20 December 2013 adopted the resolution.
The objective of this
international observance is to promote and raise awareness of the importance of
soils toward agriculture development, nutrition, and food security at the
national and international levels, in order to address the challenges of
continued world population growth.
The Ministry of Agriculture
and Cooperatives said that, with the resolution, World Soil Day is listed in
the calendar of the United Nations for annual celebration. The Land Development
Department will hold discussions with the Office of the Thai Agricultural
Counselor to Rome on preparations for World Soil Day celebration and the
International Year of Soils 2015.
Known as a champion of soil
conservation and improvement, His Majesty the King was honored as the first
recipient of the Humanitarian Soil Scientist award for his dedication to soil
resource management. The award was presented to His Majesty by Professor
Stephen Nortcliff, Chairman of the International Union of Soil Sciences, on 16
April 2012.
Following the 17th World
Congress of Soil Science in Bangkok in 2002, the International Union of Soil
Sciences, with over 60,000 members worldwide, had recognized the importance of
the work of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej in the field of soil resources
development, in particular agriculture development. Since then, 5 December was
chosen as World Soil Day in recognition of the tremendous efforts and
dedication of His Majesty in this regard.
The International Union of
Soil Sciences made a resolution in 2002 to propose 5 December, the birthday of
His Majesty the King, as World Soil Day, to honor His Majesty for his promotion
of soil science and soil resource conservation.
Later, at the 38th Session
of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Conference
on 16-22 June 2013 in Rome, resolutions declaring 5 December as World Soil Day
and 2015 as the International Year of Soils were adopted by consensus.
After the adoption of World
Soil Day and the International Year of Soils by FAO, the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, through the Permanent Mission of Thailand to the United Nations in New
York, presented the resolution to the 68th Session of the United Nations
General Assembly to declare 5 December of every year as World Soil Day and 2015
as the International Year of Soils.
(thailand.prd.go.th)