©️MdE
Port-au-Prince, December 6, 2025.- On the occasion of World Soil Day, celebrated on 5 December 2025, the Ministry of the Environment highlights its national soil sampling programme under the CSIDS-SOILCARE initiative. This approach is carried out by eight Caribbean countries and aims to restore landscapes, build sustainable food systems and achieve land degradation neutrality. In Haiti, 245 young academics and professionals were trained to participate in this strategic mapping and soil analysis operation.
The Directorate of Renewable Forests and Energy (DFER) of the Ministry of the Environment marked 5 December as World Soil Day under the theme: « Healthy soil for healthy cities ». As a fundamental natural resource, soil remains a pillar of agricultural productivity, ecological stability and the vitality of rural and urban communities.
For the Minister of the Environment, Moses Son John Peter, « soil is the matrix and the fundamental substrate of life ». Since his arrival at the head of the institution, he has directed public action towards more systemic management of resources, notably through the sampling campaign launched under the multinational initiative CSIDS-SOILCARE (Phase I). The project, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implemented in eight Caribbean States, is aimed at building the capacity of small island developing States to address climate resilience and land degradation.
In Haiti, the implementation of this initiative involves several national institutions, including MARNDR, CNIGS and many public and private universities. Together, they conduct the national soil sampling survey, which is essential for updating a body of strategic data on a territory heavily affected by erosion and environmental degradation.
With this in mind, 245 young academics and professionals were trained to participate in the process. They are now mastered in protocols related to sampling point location, sample transport techniques and the use of specialized software for data analysis. Their involvement reflects the Ministry's desire to position youth as a lever of environmental governance, consistent with the 2025-2034 Decade of Soil Sciences.
The commemoration of this world day recalls the urgent need to invest in sustainable soil conservation and restoration policies. It also calls on citizens to recognize the importance of this vital resource, which is essential for food security, ecosystem management and the construction of healthier cities.
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