The former King of Thailand’s focus on improving soil quality can help “families of farmers around the world” reach the Sustainable Development Goals, the internationally agreed targets to fight poverty.

That’s according to Thailand’s ambassador to the UN, Virachai Plasai, speaking ahead of World Soil Day, marked each December 5.

The late King Bhumibol Adulyadej had worked for “more than half a century” on development issues, especially in the agricultural sector, before his death last October, said the ambassador.

Ambassador Plasai spoke to Eleuterio Guevane at UN Headquarters, in New York.

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