The 6th WASWAC World Conference was successfully convened in Rabat, Morocco, from 15 to 17 September 2025.

This conference was organized by the World Association of Soil and Water Conservation (WASWAC) and hosted by the National Institute of Agricultural Research (INRA). Supporting institutions included the Chinese Society of Soil and Water Conservation (CSSWC), FAO Global Soil Partnership (GSP), the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), OCP Nutricrops, International Water Management Institute (IWMI), African Plant Nutrition Institute (APNI), Institut agronomique et vétérinaire Hassan-II (IAV Hassan-II), Université Mohammed VI Polytechnique (UM6P), National School of Agriculture of Meknes (ENA), Shenyang Agricultural University (SYAU), Jiangxi Academy of Water Science and Engineering (JAWSE), Institute of Soil and Water Conservation of CAS & MWR.

At the opening ceremony held on 15 September, Prof. Duihu Ning, President of WASWAC, Leonardus Vergutz, Chief Scientific Officer of OCP Nutricrops, and Vinay Nangia, head of the research team at the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) attender and delivered welcoming addresses. Dr. Lifeng Li, Director of the FAO Land and Water Division, delivered a video address, emphasizing that soil erosion is not merely an environmental issue but also poses a direct threat to food security, drinking water quality, rural livelihoods, and ecosystem resilience.

This theme of this conference is “Resilient Landscapes: Innovations and Traditions in Climate-Adaptive Soil and Water Conservation (RISE-SWC)”, including 17 invited presentations, 99 oral presentations, and 81 poster presentations. Attending experts and scholars engaged in in-depth exchanges and discussions on key topics: Impact of climate change on soil erosion and coping strategies; The role of water resources management in addressing climate change; Challenges and opportunities of land use planning and management in the context of climate change; Integration of traditional wisdom and modern technology in soil and water management; Social and economic considerations in soil and water management; Strategic shifts in soil and water conservation practices and technologies to address climate change; Monitoring and early warning mechanisms in soil and water management.

In two keynote panels themed "Climate Change and Soil-Water Security" and "Embedding Soil Health and Smart Water Management at the Core of Science-based  Policy Development, Innovative Funding, and Agricultural Research Priorities", Prof. Duihu Ning, President of WASWAC, Prof. Leonardus Vergutz, Chief Scientific Officer of the OCP Nutricrops, Prof. Nangia Vinay, Dirctor of GCZSC-UM6P, Dr. Kaushik Majumdar, Director General of APNI, Dr. Vinay Nangia, Research Team Leader of ICARDA, Prof. Baoyuan Liu, Vice President of WASWAC, and Tarik Benabdelouahab, Head of Department in INRA, attended discussion. They emphasized the role of technological innovation in controlling soil erosion and reducing the agricultural carbon footprint, while calling for enhanced international cooperation and effective measures to combat land degradation and desertification, thereby safeguarding soil and water resources.

In line with the conference theme, five side events were held during the conference, FAO Side event: Launch of International Network on Soil Erosion-INSER, New visions for sustainable soils in Africa, Soil assessment and management for a resilient landscape in Africa, New initiatives for sustainable farming system and soils health and feedback from NARS and partners, PRIMA EU. These sessions delved into integrating soil erosion prevention into public policy, global soil erosion mapping initiatives, integrated watershed management, and global soil erosion research and monitoring. They offered fresh perspectives for soil conservation strategies across Africa, the Mediterranean area, and the whole world.

On the 17th, a delegation of participants undertook a field visit to the regional center for agronomic research of Kenitra. This provided an in-depth understanding of the station methodologies and achievements in sustainable soil and water management.

Following the conference, Prof. Rachid Moussadek from the National Institute of Agricultural Research (INRA), Prof. Dennis Flanagan from Purdue University, and Prof. Valentin Golosov from Moscow State University were invited to conduct a training programme for 60 participants. The programme focused on enhancing young scientists' capacity to undertake soil and water conservation work in response to climate change. The two-day programme systematically covered three key areas include soil erosion by water at the global and regional levels, innovative modelling tools for soil and water conservation, and innovative tools for soil and water conservation research. This comprehensive approach expanded the knowledge base of young researchers and enhanced their capacity to address soil and water conservation challenges within the context of climate change.

During the conference, two administrative meetings were also organized including WASWAC Council Meetings and the Editorial Board Meeting of its journal, International Soil and Water Conservation Research. Prof. Qingbin Pan and Prof. Paige Chyu reported on the work undertaken by the WASWAC Secretariat over the past three years and the achievements of the journal, respectively. Council members and editorial board members in attendance exchanged views and discussed matters pertaining to the association and the journal.

This conference was attended by nearly 500 experts and scholars from 21 countries, including China, the United States, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Australia, Russia, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Serbia, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Turkey, Iran, India, Nigeria, Egypt, Zimbabwe, and Morocco.