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State of knowledge of soil biodiversity - Status, challenges and potentialities

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With soil compaction being one of the biggest threats for agricultural soils both at present and in the future, and a problem that is not easily undone once it is there, there is an urgent need for soil management practices that prevent soil compaction as much as possible. This is why the Belgian branch of tyre and agricultural machinery producer Bridgestone partnered up with Flemish research institute ILVO to share their expertise on tyre techniques that can prevent soil compaction.

Healthy soils and secure future food production is depending on long-term investment in soils. Generations have to collaborate. Investing in intelligent precision farming technology is part of the solution. However, the challenge lies in the need for a fundamental change of mind-set and behaviour to support the farmers who commit themselves to lifetime investment in sustainable soil management.

The AgroKruh system represents an ecological way of cultivating soil in circles using a support arm with individual spading and irrigation equipment. The soil is not ploughed and turned, and the method has significant impact on soil properties that are important for cultivation of organic vegetables.

Contract workers have more to offer than just driving their machinery. As they have an experience-based understanding of local conditions, they are a valuable source of information for most farmers. By shifting the focus from machinery to a service, contract workers could support sustainable soil management.

The Ethics Board is composed of five independent specialists in ethics and legal matters relevant for the implementation of EJP SOIL. The board is selected based on expertise in ethics and legal matters, their independence from EJP SOIL beneficiaries and their interest in the scope of the EJP SOIL.

The Advisory Board provides independent advice to the EJP SOIL strategic research roadmap. The members are active at international level and have a broad vision of the challenges facing agriculture, food and environment. The Board members are experts in a diversity of disciplines, creating a board composed of scientific experts and representatives of scientific and stakeholder organisations.

Practical results from EJP SOIL will be a baseline for politicians to draw up the guidelines for future economic development and for the creation of legislative processes. It is of paramount significance to know what soil resources are available and what can be expected from potential soil productivity.

As Europe’s population increases, commensurate pressure is being put on politicians and legislative authorities to re-zone agricultural land to make way for new houses, roads, airports and commercial areas. How should politicians proceed? Can the soil be excavated and moved to create new fields to a comparable soil quality? And who should bear the costs?