Rome, Dec 6 (IANS/AKI): Rattan Lal, a distinguished university professor of soil science at the Ohio State University, has won the Glinka World Soil Prize 2018 in a ceremony at the Rome headquarters of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for his outstanding contribution to sustainable soil management.

Lal, the President of the International Union of Soil Science (IUSS), was recognised on the World Soil Day on Wednesday for his outstanding contribution to sustainable soil management and the protection of soil resources.

The Glinka World Soil Prize, named after the pioneering Russian scientist Konstantin D. Glinka, is considered the highest honour in the soil science profession.

Lal was born in Gujranwala in West Punjab, Pakistan, and his family came to India as refugees in 1948. He studied in India and later came to the US to work on his doctorate in soils, which he completed in 1968.

He has been listed among the World's Most Influential Scientific Minds (2012) and among the top one per cent of all researchers in agriculture.

His scientific work has notably contributed to soil organic carbon restoration and improvement of soil structure but also played a major role in converting science into policy and decision-making, the FAO said.

This year the Russian Federation approved the financial contribution of $2 million to support the activities of the Global Soil Partnership in its second phase (2018-20).

The first World Soil Day Award was on Wednesday given to Practical Action Bangladesh for organizing the best World Soil Day celebration in 2017.

The new FAO-established award is funded by Thailand.