The EU has realized the importance of strengthening research and capacity in soil science to meet both global and local challenges in sustainable and climate smart soil management. However, only 10% of higher education institutes have dedicated soil science departments. Building the human capacity will therefore be critical.

Nurturing a hands-on approach to find practical solutions to current soil challenges. Given the growing realization of the importance of soils, soil science education in Europe is steadily growing and becoming a stand-alone science.

Raising awareness through training and education is crucial to achieving sustainable soil management. If measures, actions and plans are not based on sound education, success cannot be achieved for sustainable soil and land management.

Spain has a great diversity of agricultural soils due to large variations in climate, geology, land uses, and crops. Soil loss is of particular concern in most of its territory, along with N-related pollution caused by inadequate farming procedures. Several sustainable practices have been proposed to tackle those challenges and public policies may help in overcoming existing barriers for their implementation.

Engaging students in research projects strengthens the link between the sector and education, changes the project dynamics and provides the opportunity to update the educational system.

GRAND FARM makes use of the environment and co-exists with owls, earthworms and trees. An organic farm, contributing to finding of solutions and sharing of results and experiences while improving the supply of healthy food and the protection of soils.

By: Isabella Gehken and Dean Jordanski, summer interns at the Institute of Soil Research, BOKU, Tulln, under the supervision of Elizabeth Ziss and Rebecca Hood-Nowotny.

EJP SOIL pre-announce the upcoming 2nd internal call for joint research projects, with an allocated budget of maximum 30 M€. The call will open from 01.04.2021 with a closing date for proposals on 31.05.2021.

Management of agricultural soils is becoming a key aspect in the fight against climate change and its consequences. A new research effort comprising ten trans-European research projects will support the development of climate-smart and sustainable management of agricultural soils.

The CAP is instrumental in managing the transition towards a sustainable food system and in strengthening the efforts of European farmers to…

In the light of World Soil Day, the EU Soil Observatory was launched on 4 December 2020, emphasizing and highlighting the importance of soil. The new EU Soil Observatory will be a dynamic and inclusive platform that will provide information and data needed to safeguard soils to the European Commission and the broader soil user community.