Eighth GSP Plenary Assembly | 3 - 5 June 2020, online. Zineb Bazza

1. The Global
Symposium on
Salt-Affected Soils

2. Salt-affected soils
• Soil salinization and sodification are major
soil degradation processes threatening
ecosystem services.
• Salt-affected soils can be found in all
climates and can be a result of both
primary and secondary processes.
• An important threat to our global soil
resources (FAO, 2015).

3. Global Symposium on Salt-
Affected Soils (GSSAS21)
• The government of the Republic of Uzbekistan
offered to organize and host the Global Symposium
on Salt-Affected Soils at the last GSP Plenary
Assembly (June 2019).
• Initially planned to be held on 12-15 October 2020
in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
• Due to the COVID19 pandemic, the symposium was
moved to September 2021, in Tashkent,
Uzbekistan.

4. Symposium outcome
• An outcome document highlighting the scientific
evidence on the status of salt-affected soils, their
impact and an agenda for action in the framework
of achieving the SDGs.
• The document will also provide recommendations
for developing sound environmental policies and
programs to encourage the integrated use and
sustainable soil salinity control and management
for salt-affected areas.

5. Symposium themes
• Theme 1: Assessment, mapping, monitoring and
tools to understand soil salinization;
• Theme 2: Impacts of soil salinization on agricultural
production, food security, ecosystem services and
sustainability;
• Theme 3: Agenda for action to prevent,
rehabilitate, remediate soil salinization and scale-
up sustainable soil management practices.

6. Visual identity

7. Organization of the symposium
• Working group of experts in soil salinity within the ITPS.
• Concept Note available
• Key messages developed  will be used for the
development of communication material to promote
the symposium and raise awareness on the important
issue of salt-affected soils.
• International Network of Salt-Affected Soils (INSAS)
will be involved in the organization of the symposium.
• Currently looking at potential co-organizers in addition
to the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

8. Thank you for your
attention