6th NENA Plenary meeting, 18 - 19 November 2020, virtual meeting Mr. Shabbir A Shahid

1. Country presentation
State of Kuwait
Dr. Hana’a Burezq
National Focal Point - Kuwait

2. Main activities implemented in the country
under Pillar 1 –Soil Management
A. Soil Survey of Kuwait (1995-1999) informed decisions
• Reconnaissance survey (1:100,000 scale) country level
• Semi-detailed survey (1:25,000 scale) 200,000 ha Suitability for agriculture
• Detailed soil survey of demonstration farms (1:1,000 scale) 50 ha farms
B. Restoration of Terrestrial Ecosystem (4 years project 2021-2025)
• Large scale revegetation plan (Native plants) different plants clusters
C. Salinity mapping of crops and vegetables farms (Plan submitted for approval)
• Over 3500 agricultural farms will be investigated for soil and groundwater
salinity
D. Integrated Soil Fertility Management (2020-2025)
• A 5 year plan has been approved as part of Government Initiative Program
for Food Security
E. Official Member of GSP, Glocosolan and INSAS
• International partnership developed
• Kuwait Biochar Initiative registered with IBI as Sustaining member

3. Main activities implemented in the country
under Pillar 2 (Awareness Raising)
KUWAIT BIOCHAR INITIATIVE (KBI)
• Established in 2019 for Re-carbonization and Soil Health Improvement
• Registered at International Biochar Initiative as Sustaining Member – 2019
• Newsletter
• Workshops
• Farmers days
• Organized training
• Internships University students
• School visits to KBI facilities
• Publications
• Hana’a Burezq. 2020. Combating wind erosion through soil stabilization under simulated wind
flow condition e Case of Kuwait. International Soil and Water Conservation Research 8 (2020)
154-163.
• Hana’a Burezq. 2019. Intensification of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) Forage Production Using
Biochar, Animal Manure and Specialty Chemicals – Case of Kuwait. European Journal of Scientific
Research. 154(2):254-268.

4. What will your country do on the World Soil Day?
World Soil Day 2019 was celebrated officially, Dr Shabbir Shahid delivered a Lecture at
Desert Agriculture and Ecosystems Program of KISR
We planned WSD 2020 celebration but due to COVID 19 official celebration was not
possible
Share a page summary about the WSD theme through Emails at national level

5. Main activities implemented in the country
under Pillar 3 – Research
Systematic Soil Research Initiated
A. Integrated Soil Fertility Management (2019-2024) for Food Security
• Recycling agriculture residue to beneficial resources
• Production of Engineered Organic and Bio-fertilizers
• Production of Compost and Biochar
• Testing greenhouse and open field trials
• Saving finite arable land from landfills
• Technology transfer to farmers
B. Salinity mapping of crops and vegetables farms (Plan submitted for approval)
• Over 3500 agricultural farms will be investigated for soil and groundwater
salinity assessment and periodic monitoring
• Crops zones will be established based on soil & water salinity levels
Target to achieve – 25 % fertilizer saving, 40% water saving & double productivity
C. Link to International Network on Salt-Affected Soils (INSAS)

6. Main activities implemented in the country
under Pillar 4 – Information and Data
Kuwait Soil Information System (KSIS)
• Established as a part of Soil Survey of Kuwait
• Soil Database Management System (SDBMS)
• Retrieve soil information for land use planning
• Soil and thematic maps (Irrigated agriculture suitability, rangeland,
resources (clay, gypsum, carbonates), land use etc….
• Soil Survey Report (5 Volumes)
• 200 copies (5 volumes hard copies and CDs) published and shared
with all government departments and relevant private sector
• Specialized training given to potential users to use soil information
• Informed decisions on land use planning and national development
Kuwait Soil Taxonomy – Ready for publication by an international publisher (2020)

7. Main activities implemented in the country
under Pillar 5 – Harmonization
GLOSOLAN
- Soil chemistry and physics laboratories registered at GLOSOLAN
- Kuwait soil map shared for Soil Atlas of Asia (USDA-NRCS to WRB)
- Publication of laboratory methods manuals
- Soil chemistry
- Soil physics
Review SOPs for the Harmonization of the Following Analysis:
 Total N by Kjeldahl
 pH
 EC soil/water (1:5)
 Olsen P
 Sustainability of methods - Cost (Cost of analysis for all the
test performed in the laboratory)
 Total nitrogen Dumas dry combustion method and soil nitrogen Kjeldahl
method.
 Saturated paste
KISR making efforts for ISO accreditation

8. Thanks for
your attention