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Tag: UN Sustainable Development Goals

  • Rattan Lal named global ambassador of regenagri to boost regenerative farming awareness

    Rattan Lal named global ambassador of regenagri to boost regenerative farming awareness

    MUMBAI: If soil had a spokesperson, it just found the best one. Rattan Lal, the globally celebrated soil scientist and advocate of sustainable agriculture, has been appointed the global ambassador of regenagri, a leading international standard for regenerative agriculture.

    The announcement was made on June 2, 2025, and signals a high-profile push to mainstream regenerative practices worldwide. Lal, a distinguished university professor of Soil Science and director of the Rattan Lal Center for Carbon Management and Sequestration at The Ohio State University, will now amplify regenagri’s message across geographies, guiding its global expansion and standardisation efforts.

    As the global ambassador, Lal will promote the ecological and economic benefits of regenerative farming—emphasising soil health, biodiversity, climate resilience, and community livelihoods. “Regenagri stands for innovative farming systems, which transform agroecosystems into a part of the solution to restore degraded soils, mitigate climate change, strengthen biodiversity, improve the environment and advance Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations while producing safe, healthy, accessible and nutritious food for all”, Lal said.

    His appointment comes at a critical time as nations struggle with deteriorating farmland, shrinking biodiversity, and climate disruption. Regenagri, which provides standards and certification for regenerative agriculture, has found in Lal not just a figurehead but a hands-on contributor to both advocacy and technical advancement. He will also participate in the development of regenagri’s evolving standards framework.

    A decorated scholar and one of the world’s most awarded soil scientists, Lal has received the World Food Prize (2020), Japan Prize (2019), Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity (2024), World Agriculture Prize (2018), M.S. Swaminathan Award (2009), and the Borlaug Award (2005). He previously served as President of both the International Union of Soil Sciences and the Soil Science Society of America.

    Regenagri CEO Franco Costantini noted, “We’re thrilled to have Professor Rattan Lal join us as regenagri’s global ambassador. At a time when restoring soil health on a global scale is more pressing than ever, Prof Lal’s wealth of scientific knowledge will be key to further drive the adoption of regenerative agriculture through regenagri’s robust standards”.

    With Lal at the helm of its advocacy efforts, regenagri aims to deepen its scientific credentials and broaden its impact in the global transition to sustainable, soil-first farming.

  • UN agency ITU to set up area office for South Asia in New Delhi

    UN agency ITU to set up area office for South Asia in New Delhi

    Mumbai: The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) – United Nations specialised agency for information and communication technologies (ICTs), is set to open in New Delhi by mid-2022. The planned area office, funded by the government of India, will enhance regional initiatives for sustainable and inclusive digital transformation in South Asia.

    The ITU area office and innovation centre aims to strengthen technology cooperation and boost regional telecommunications development. Through a closer presence, ITU hopes to advance shared regional priorities, such as reducing disparities between developing and developed countries in terms of Internet access, digital skills, and other socio-economic indicators after the Covid-19 pandemic.

    From India’s national capital, the new office will implement ITU initiatives and provide technical assistance and policy guidance on information and communication technologies (ICTs) in South Asia.

    “Today’s agreement is an important step in the enduring partnership between ITU and the Republic of India, and between ITU and the South Asia sub-region,” said ITU secretary-general Houlin Zhao. “I’m confident that the establishment of an ITU area office for South Asia in New Delhi will help to push the boundaries of innovation and accelerate digital transformation for all people and communities across India, the region and beyond.”

    India’s minister of communications Ashwini Vaishnaw welcomed the opportunity for closer regional and international engagement through the signing of a host-country agreement for the office.

    “India is proud to partner with ITU on this progressive initiative for the region, which will advance shared regional priorities, help reduce disparities with developed countries, and strengthen South Asia’s post-Covid recovery. India is determined to bridge the digital divide and help address the ensuing inequalities in digital access affecting the entire region,” he said.

    ITU promotes inclusive connectivity for all as a key part of global sustainable development. Governments, companies, research institutes, and civil society organisations from around the world, gathered at the last ITU Plenipotentiary Conference in Dubai in 2018, noted the need for an upgraded regional presence to conduct programmes and projects harnessing technologies for sustainable development.

    ITU regional and area offices report to the director of ITU’s telecommunication development bureau, currently Doreen Bogdan-Martin, who said she was excited about the opening of the South Asia area office in New Delhi.

    “This new office will allow ITU to broaden partnerships, building upon current work and facilitating digital innovation,” she said. “ITU will work, together with the Government of India, to ensure that the new office strengthens ITU’s regional presence, by bringing ITU closer to member countries, and further enhances ITU’s capability to help them recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, accelerate the achievement of sustainable development, and at the same time advance digital transformation.”

    ITU’s South Asia team will focus specifically on setting up an innovation centre for exchanges of ideas, success stories, innovative solutions, and global endeavours, promoting the introduction of advanced technologies, contributing to the development of ICT/telecommunication networks and services in South Asia, providing technical assistance in relation to infrastructure, e-governance, and cross-sectoral ICT applications, assisting with human resources and capacity development and conducting other activities related to ITU’s mandate to connect the world and support the UN sustainable development goals.