Pictured: Professor Amos Kabo-Bah, GEO-LDN Co-Lead, and Mandakh Nyamtseren Davaasuren, GEO-LDN expert.
Berlin | 20–22 May 2025
From 20 to 22 May, nearly 150 stakeholders from government, science, civil society and the private sector gathered in Berlin for the international conference “Partners for Change – SOILutions for a Food Secure, Resilient, and Sustainable Future.” The event highlighted the central role of soil in sustainable agriculture, resilient food systems and long-term land stewardship.
The conference was organized by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) in collaboration with the European Commission and the Gates Foundation, bringing together diverse perspectives on soil protection and agri-food system transformation.
GEO-LDN was honored to be represented by Professor Amos Kabo-Bah, GEO-LDN Co-Lead, and Mandakh Nyamtseren Davaasuren, GEO-LDN expert. Their contributions emphasized the importance of integrating geospatial data, Earth observation and inclusive land management approaches into global soil and food security discussions.
Reflecting on the exchange, Mandakh Nyamtseren Davaasuren noted the importance of recognizing diverse land-use systems:
“It was an honor to participate in such a rich and forward-looking exchange on soil protection and agri-food system transformation. I deeply appreciate the recognition of soil as a lever for transformation—and I am hopeful that future dialogues will give even greater visibility to rangelands, pastoralist systems, and other underrepresented land uses.”
Professor Amos Kabo-Bah highlighted the transformative potential of data-driven land management:
“We are building vital capacities to develop a new understanding of how to manage every single pixel of our land. Our challenge is as simple as it is complex: how can we grow food and sustain industrial development while also preserving the environment that nourishes us all?”
The value of GEO-LDN’s engagement was also recognized by partners, with Stephanie Katsir (GIZ) noting that GEO-LDN representatives contributed valuable insights across panels and discussions.
GEO-LDN looks forward to continued collaboration across sectors and regions to advance inclusive, data-informed and sustainable land and soil management.
For further insights, an article from Food for Transformation (F4T) provides additional coverage of the conference, which you can read here.
