Protocol for the assessment of Sustainable Soil Management

Sustainable soil management (SLM) is an approach that seeks to conserve and enhance soil ecosystem services, such as food production, water regulation and carbon storage. A protocol recently developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) provides a framework for assessing whether soil management practices are sustainable. The protocol is based on a set of indicators that can be measured to assess the ability of a soil to maintain its functions. These indicators include soil quality, soil biodiversity, soil health and soil productivity.