The document discusses key topics and outcomes from presentations on soil erosion policies and practices at a symposium. It identifies several effective soil erosion prevention methods used globally, as well as policies from countries like the EU, Uruguay, China, and Korea. Participants discussed developing an action plan with four outcomes: 1) building a best practices database, 2) providing data on soil erosion laws and policies, 3) analyzing gaps in policy development and implementation, and 4) translating information into on-the-ground action.

1. Theme 2: Policy and practices to
address soil erosion
Megan Balks, Gary Pierzynski, et al.
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2. Contributions to working document (alphabetical order)
• Balks, Megan (Team Leader, ITPS)
• Chabala, Lydia (ITPS)
• Garcia Préchac, Fernando (ITPS)
• Kapović Solomun, Marijana (SPI-UNCCD)
• Kust, German (SPI-UNCCD)
• Lefevre Clara ( GSP – FAO)
• Panagos, Panos (JRC-EU)
• Pierzynski, Gary (ITPS)
• Poch, Rosa (ITPS)
• PLUS…….. Symposium participants.
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3. 3
Theme 2: Key questions related to erosion
prevention, remediation or mitigation
2.Which policies
have proven
effective?
3. What are the
current policy
challenges?
opportunities?
4. What new policies
could be introduced?
1. Which measures
have proven
effective?
5. What are the most
useful means of
converting policies into
practical action?

4. Key points from presentations
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• Global problem – local
solutions - no one size fits all –
has to be local input into
choice of suitable practices
and implementation.

5. Key points from presentations
•“If you want to stop soil erosion
and save our future talk to
farmers” (Alfred Grand).
Actions have to be taken by people on the ground at
local levels…. It is critical that scientists and policy
makers understand the realities for farmers,
appreciate their concerns, and utilise the local
knowledge of farmers.
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6. Key points from presentations
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• Many well established, effective methods to
prevent, remediate, or mitigate soil erosion –
implementation is the issue
• Soil amendments: biochar, zeolite, urban waste,
composts, microorganisms.
• Practices: infiltration trenches, subsoiling ridges,
tree plantings, synergistic agriculture, contour
furrows, cover crops, perennial crops, crop
residue management, contouring, terraces, strip
cropping

7. Key points from presentations
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• Few big runoff events produce >50% of soil loss.
Need to design practices for these intense
events
• Involve farmers in selection of practices and
keep the practices and training as simple as
possible.
• Low cost changes that give quick returns for
farmers will be most effective – Policy makers
need to be aware of this (Lindsay Stringer).

8. Key points from presentations
What existing policies are being effectively used?
• Good News – lots of examples of policies and
laws that are in place and are making a
difference
• EU has effective policies implemented –
motivated by subsidies. Seeing benefits
(Panos Panagos et al.).
• Uruguay – All farms have 5-8 yr soil use and
management plan – provides means for
implementation – enforcement via fines.
(Enzo Benech, Fernando Garcia-Prechac).
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9. Key points from policy presentations
What existing policies are being effectively used?
• China – forestation measures on loess plateau
started 1949 – big success in reducing erosion, less
sediment in yellow river BUT less water to river and
groundwater.
• Korea – sophisticated data base, web-based
environmental quality incentive programme (Jae
Yang).
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10. Policy general comments
• Big erosion reduction with combination of
incentives and enforcement e.g. Brazil,
Switzerland, Belgium, et al., based on farm plans,
erosion maps, satellite data.
• Motivation, resilience, stewardship – bottom up
motivate and empower farmers, demonstrate
success to then get political buy in (Aad Kessler,
William Blake).
• Top down or bottom up? Need both
• Catchment or farm scale? Need both
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11. Key points from policy presentations
• Liaison between Govt. departments – beware
policies from one dept. conflicting with another.
(Lindsay Stringer).
• Holistic approach – beware of unforeseen negative
problems - solve one problem but create another.
• Tenure security has to come before SLM (David
Betge)
• Global problem – local solutions - no one size fits
all – has to be local input into development of
policy and implementation.
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Action Plan
Outcome 1. Collection and evaluation of
effective policies/methods for erosion control
•How? Investigate working with WOCAT to
use existing information and build
on/contribute to existing database.
•Who? FAO, ITPS, all interested parties
•When? ASAP – 1 year plus ongoing.

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Action Plan
Outcome 2. Provide data on existing laws,
policies, and strategies related to soil erosion.
How? Global survey using national focal points,
Compile and analyse results to report on key and
effective policies.
Who? FAO GSP, ITPS plus working group
When? 1 year

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Action Plan
Outcome 3. Analyze major gaps on the
development and implementation of soil erosion
control policies at global, regional, and national
levels.
How? Evaluate data from steps 1 and 2
Who? FAO GSP, ITPS plus working group
When? 1 year

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Action Plan:Outcome 4. Translate the
information into action
Top down: Policy briefs/information
papers for government officials
Push to get soil on Government agenda
Publications and promotion of access to
information
Bottom up: participatory programmes to
assist local action. Educational tools.

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Introduction to Theme 2 discussion
sessions
• Where to from here?
• Megan and Gary to Summarise key points from talks and posters
• Discussion session 1 – Key Questions – what do we know about each?
• Discussion session 2 – Outcomes – Can we agree on the outcomes? If
not then what outcomes can FAO realistically do? Opportunity to
propose actions to achieve key outcomes
• Discussion session 3 – Action plan to achieve agreed outcomes.
Time line, and id members for working group(s). – Everyone together

18. Are the outcomes the most useful ones
that we can do?
If not then what can FAO do to promote
erosion prevention, remediation and
mitigation?
Next: Action plan – how do we convert
the outcomes into actions that will make
a difference on the ground????
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Theme 2, Discussion 2: Expected Outcomes
Your opportunity to propose actions to achieve key
outcomes
Outcome 1: Build a database on best erosion control practices in
regional contexts.
Outcome 2: Provide data on existing laws and policies related to
soil erosion.
Outcome 3: ID major gaps in the development and
implementation of soil erosion control policies at global, regional
and national levels.
Outcome 4: Translate the information into action on the ground

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….Required action continued
2. Analysis of major gaps regarding development and
implementation of soil erosion control policies at various levels:
• Discussions during the symposium, an overview of gaps in
erosion control under varying conditions to be discussed.
• Plan of action will be developed to be presented at the 14th
meeting of the Conference of parties to the UN Convention to
Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP 14, India 7 – 18 October
2019)
• Scientific document (paper/book) to be prepared.

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….Required action continued
3. Database on the best erosion practices
• Participants at the GSER will have opportunity to discuss best
practices for erosion control.
• Some of the data will feed into the database on best erosion
control practices.
• Identification of best practices to minimize erosion and
provide regional situational analysis with policy briefs as
outputs.

23. Plan of action
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Questionnaire
to assess legal
instruments
and
management
practices
Regional
situation
analysis
Documentation for
awareness raising of
needed legal
instruments and
practices in regional
context
Implementation through
training, workshops in
collaboration with
regional soil partnership
Development of legal
instruments and
application of
adapted practices

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• Review the policies focused on soil
erosion prevention and remediation,
including successes, gaps and
opportunities for implementation of
VGSSM to achieve SDGs
• Methods and practices in action to
address soil erosion
Theme 2 of
the
symposium
will focus
on two
aspects

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Core Questions ???????
Which measures have proven effective to prevent, remedy
or mitigate soil erosion?
Which policies are currently being implemented to enhance
erosion prevention, remediation, or mitigation?
What policies could be introduced to effectively implement
soil erosion prevention, remediation, or mitigation?
What are the most useful means to convert erosion
prevention, remediation, or mitigation policies into practical
action?