The year 2020 will be remembered as a special year in many ways. Among this year's peculiarities, due to the COVID19 pandemic, is the postponement of the UNFCCC COP 26 scheduled to take place in Glasgow in November and postponed next year at almost the same time. In the meantime, in view of all the projects launched in 2020 (development and implementation of the strategic plan via the task forces, version 2.0 of the collaborative platform...) and the actions planned for 2021, we found it difficult to go through a year without your feedback.
In the absence of a conference to back-up our annual "4 for 1000" initiative day as a side event, the Executive Secretariat, in agreement with the President and the Vice-President, proposed to bring us together virtually on Zoom with the help of our friends from Regeneration Canada, one of our members who helped us organize the web conference of the 1st North American meeting last May.
This 4th edition of the "4 for 1000" Initiative Day took place in two sessions spread over two consecutive days: December 9 and 10, 2020:
An almost 5-hour session on December 9 from noon to 3:00 pm (CET) corresponding to the 5th Partners Forum in plenary session that began with a High Level Segment including speeches by 27 personalities representing partners and members of the Initiative (this session was open to Members, Partners and everyone interested);
A 2-hour session on 10 December from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm (CET) corresponding to the 6th Consortium meeting reserved for Members of the Initiative, in order to take the decisions allowing the continuation of the Initiative's activities in 2021.
The Scientific and Technical Committee hold its 10th meeting from November 15 to 17, also in videoconference, in order to provide a contribution to the Forum and the Consortium on the day of the Initiative.
The relationship between the emergence of epidemics, the degradation of the natural environment and intensive agricultural production methods should lead us to question the changes to be made to our lifestyles and our relationship with the natural environment, particularly through agriculture. Soil health is the key and the answer to our questions, and consequently reinforces, if needed, the importance of the "4 for 1000" Initiative and of your mobilization and involvement.
"Take care of the soil and the soil will take care of you" - Dr Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, President of the Consortium of the "4 for 1000" Initiative