14 April 2023 (Friday) – Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) soil scientist Dr V. Jeyanny Vijayanathan received recognition from the Malaysia Book of Records (MBR) for being the ‘First Malaysian soil scientist to be selected as panel for Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Intergovernmental Technical Panel of Soils (ITPS)’. This is the 46^th MBR record for FRIM.

The MBR certificate was presented by MBR Senior Record Consultant Siti Hajar Johor at the MBR headquarter in Kuala Lumpur this morning. Also present, FRIM Director General Dr Ismail Parlan, FRIM Corporate Communication Head Toh An Nee and Research Officer Praveena Balai Kerishnan.

Jeyanny was appointed as a member of ITPS by FAO on 2 June 2022. Jeyanny is one of the 27 soil experts selected from 95 candidates worldwide.

ITPS provides scientific and technical advice on global soil issues to the Global Soil Partnership and other institutions. ITPS also promotes sustainable land management in various development agendas.

This appointment is significant for Malaysia and FRIM as a platform for scientific and technical contributions on global soil issues.

The appointment also enables Malaysia to contribute to harmonisation of collective data and reports on sustainable land management issues, food security, climate change, soil organic carbon and other soil issues.  

Jeyanny will also have the opportunity to help expand collaboration for Malaysia and FRIM with international organisations such as the International Union of Soil Sciences, Science-Policy Interface of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, ‘4 per 1000’ Initiative, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, Convention on Biological Diversity and Global Soil Biodiversity Initiative.

This appointment is fully supported by FRIM and the Department of Agriculture Malaysia. Jeyanny is also actively involved in a working group as an Editorial Board member for the Status of the World Soil Resources Report 2025. She was also selected as a moderator for the ‘Global Symposium on Soils for Nutrition’ in July 2022.