Current demographic pressure confounded by consumerism, industrialization, urbanization, employment generation and poverty alleviation programmes is impacting the basic natural resources, viz. soil, water and biodiversity, as never before in the human history. For addressing these issues from the perspective of a productive and sustainable agriculture, the Indian Society of Soil Science organized this Conference under the aegis of the International Union of Soil Sciences. The conference was held from 28 January to 1 February 2005 at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi. Attended by more than 450 delegates from 17 countries, the activities of the conference were split into three components viz. (i) Structured presentations including plenary and evening lectures and symposia, (ii) Poster presentation spread over three days in four sessions, and (iii) Exhibition on Natural Resources Management in India. Voluntary papers presented as posters, depicted researches carried out in different parts of the world, offered ample opportunity for interaction among the participants. The exhibition organized on natural resource management was an important activity on the state of the natural resources in India. Deliberations at the conference reiterated unequivocally that the soil, water and biodiversity are our national wealth and heritage, and these have been over-exploited and are in an advanced stage of degradation. The shrinking capacity of soils to absorb any more abuse must be impressed on the public mind through appropriate changes in educational curriculum, mass media, etc. This conference unanimously appealed to the individual countries to act on the "World Soil Charter of FAO" and press for "UN Soils Convention" to accord the same high priority to soil preservation as is being currently given to climate change, biodiversity, etc.
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