While improvements in plant breeding have been associated mainly with the successes of the ”Green Revolution”, the contributions of soil science and plant nutrition have been less widely appreciated. However, achievements in identifying crop nutrient stresses in the various agroecosystems around the world, as well as improvements in fertilizer technology and use efficiency, have contributed to world food production and improved human nutrition and the alleviation of poverty. The soil science and plant nutrition programs conducted by the major agricultural research centers of the Consortium for Global International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) have also contributed to improvement in the global environment as well. Future challenges to feed a world population of nine billion people will depend on soil science more than ever. At a time of change and reformation within the CGIAR system, it is particularly important to highlight the vital role of soil science in meeting the food production and allied environmental challenges of the future.