Second External Call - International Call

Call topics and its expected impacts

Researchers can apply for one of the three topics described here. All proposals shall address the topic specific impacts as well as at least one of the expected impacts of EJP SOIL as described in section 2.

Topic A:

Soil restoration practices and management for alleviating land degradation, supporting agro-ecosystem function and maintaining soil organic carbon stocks.

Expected impacts:

• The promotion of proven and cost-effective solutions to land and agro-ecosystemdegradation scaling-out of sustainable management options supported by anappropriate enabling environment to combat land degradation, enhance productivityand livelihoods.
• Collect and synthesize knowledge on the successful and unsuccessful use of noveladvanced technologies in relation to diversified cropping (e.g. strip cropping and pixelfarming) and site-specific soil management (tillage and traffic, fertilization, weed and pest control, irrigation).
• Evaluate the potentials and limitations of using novel advanced technologies for sustainable soil management for different pedo-climatic zones and cropping systems.

In the long-term, the successful proposals should contribute to the restoration of degraded landscapes including improving the functionality of agro-ecosystems pastures, and natural agro-ecosystems landscapes as well as contributing to more carbon neutral farming activities.

Topic B:

Managing soils in the context of climate change: understanding impacts on C, N and P cycling and greenhouse gas emissions and removals, using data derived from LTEs and benchmark farms.

Expected Impact:

• Parameterization and validation of models that form the core of farmer advisory systems, e.g., Cool Farm Tool, CAP2R and many more. This can help to demonstrate the effect and impact of (sequential or additive) management practices and measures in different farming systems across all relevant climate regions.
• Development and of more accurate and reliable Tier 2 and Tier 3 methods for greenhouse gas emissions and removals reporting at different scales and assessing farm-level greenhouse gas balances to enhance implementation of climate action at the farm level and farmers’ commitment to climate mitigation targets across the world.
• Informing and improving implementation and execution of specific on farm practices and measures and/or farm level strategies to simultaneously address climate change impacts and mitigate greenhouse gases.

Topic C:

Research and development of innovative methods and sensing technologies to provide an integrated monitoring and mapping of farm management practices taking also into account physical attributes and vegetation characteristics relevant to SOC sequestration, soil health and degradation.

Expected impact:

• Publicly available, broadly applicable, low-cost and reliable approaches to map and monitor farm management, vegetation characteristics and soil physical attributes will facilitate improved public policy, improved measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) systems for agricultural greenhouse gases, removals and other ecosystem services, development and provision of tools to support decision making of land managers, farmers, and other actors of the food system (monitoring as a base for the development of the carbon markets) and assist with monitoring compliance with regulations.