ROME – To mark World Soil Day on Thursday, IBM unveiled “soil sculptures” outside the Roma Convention Centre aiming to raise awareness of issues of soil degradation and to encourage more sustainable farming practices.

 Soil erosion and degradation is one of today’s critical challenges about which many are unaware.

ROME — Chilean CIO director at the FAO, Samuel Varas, has been sacked as part of a wide ranging purge at the UN agency in which Chinese officials have taken over the IT division, FAO sources said.

 The statuesque Cape Verdian DDR Maria Helen Semedo has had her contract for next year renewed as has Uruguayan ADG and chef de cabinet Mario Lubetkin in what is seen as the continuing influence of former DG Jose Graziano da Silva at the FAO despite the election of Chinese DG Qu Dongyu, said the sources. French DDG Laurent Thomas also has had his contract renewed, the sources said.