Manaaki Whenua / Landcare Research and ISRIC sign a Framework Agreement

On 21st November 2018, Richard Gordon(CEO Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research) and Rik van den Bosch (Director ISRIC – World Soil Information) have signed a Framework Agreement. Main focus of the agreement is on working together within the context of the Global Soil Partnership (GSP). This will involve co-designing and developing technical solutions towards federated soil information systems, including the development of standards for encoding soil data. Implicitly, this will involve close interaction with GSP Pillar 4 on ‘information and soil data’ and GSP Pillar 5 on ‘soil data harmonisation’.

Further, the collaboration will involve:

• Improving soil maps for New Zealand through digital soil mapping approaches.

• Collaborative data sharing for research purposes, within the constraints of relevant data licenses.

•  Proximal sensing workflow and preferred approaches.

•  New and innovative digital soil applications.

• Accuracy of soil observations (data quality), uncertainty, and error-propagation.

• Sustainable Land Management & Land Degradation Neutrality (UNCCD indicators). Both organizations have agreed to stimulate exchange of research staff and identify funding opportunities for the research topics specified in this agreement. The Framework Agreement has a duration of 3 years and will be evaluated on a yearly basis.

Both organizations have agreed to stimulate exchange of research staff and identify funding opportunities for the research topics specified in this agreement. The Framework Agreement has a duration of 3 years and will be evaluated on a yearly basis.