Past events

Jump-start the Mission Soil – an event to cluster projects funded under the EU Mission 'A Soil Deal for Europe' (Brussels, 22-23 March, 2023)

The 'Jump-start the Mission Soil' event, organised by the European Research Executive Agency (REA) brought together 250 stakeholders, including project representatives, Mission Board members, policymakers and other national and European experts. The successful hybrid event was a major opportunity for participants in funded projects to network, identify synergies and get to know the wider policy context of the Mission Soil. While the first session addressed the Mission’s policy context and science−policy interfaces, the second day focused on in-depth discussions on: communication and engagement strategies, data management and their integration with the European Soil Observatory (EUSO), and local and regional activities with a focus on living labs. 

Agriculture Innovation Mission (AIM) for Climate Summit (Washington DC, 8-10 May)

The EU Mission Soil goes global! In the framework of the AIM for Climate Summit in Washington DC, the Mission Soil was presented to an international audience to showcase European research and innovation investments in soil health. Mission activities on carbon farming and examples of national initiatives for sustainable management from Denmark, Ireland and the Netherlands served as a basis for wider discussions on the role of soil management for promoting climate-smart agriculture. AIM for Climate was launched by the United States and the United Arab Emirates in 2021, in the context of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow. This year’s summit was meant to prepare the ground for further raising ambitions and building collaboration, also in the lead-up to COP28 in the United Arab Emirates. 

EU AgriResearch Conference 2023 (Brussels, 31 May − 1 June 2023)

With 500 participants attending in person and many more online, the AgriResearch Conference brought together scientists, farmers, researchers, rural communities, industry, consultants, politicians, citizens and representatives of non-governmental organisations to reflect on how to address future challenges in agricultural and forestry research and innovation. Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski emphasised the need for synergies, describing 2023 as ‘a year of challenges to make the agricultural and forestry sectors more resilient and sustainable’. He also stressed the importance of giving farmers access to the right knowledge and innovations, as well as providing them with the financial support to become more productive, sustainable and competitive. The concrete challenges and increased uncertainties that individual farmers are facing were illustrated by Rogier Schulte (professor of Farming Systems Ecology at Wageningen University and Research) in a keynote speech that set the scene for further panel discussions.

Throughout the conference, participants acknowledged the importance of healthy soils and their manifold functions as the basis for resilient agriculture and forestry. Soils were particularly visible at the closure of the conference, with Sadhguru, leader of the Save Soil Movement, signing the Mission Soil Manifesto and stating: 'It's not scientists and academics that will execute soil revitalisation, it's the farmers.' (Watch his video message on YouTube) 

The Manifesto was also signed by the European Commission’s Director-General for Agriculture and Rural Development Wolfgang Burtscher, Director-General for Research and Innovation Marc Lemaître and Director-General of the Joint Research Centre Stephen Quest. The conference was followed by field visits to showcase agricultural innovations in practice, organised by the EIP-AGRI on 2 June 2023. Read more on the conference webpage and listen to the podcast! 

Upcoming events

European Healthy Soils − 1st edition: Soil Fertility (Muttenz, 13-15 September 2023)

This first edition of the European Healthy Soils Conference Series will address the importance of healthy soils and their fertility as a prerequisite for functioning society, environment, economy, and climate. If you are interested, please consult the agenda and register! 

Power to the Peatlands conference (Antwerp, 19-21 September 2023)

Peatlands have become key components in national and international strategies on biodiversity, climate change mitigation and water retention. The conference will zoom in on the science, management and policy aspects of peatland restoration and conservation. The programme will be based on four major themes: carbon and water, biodiversity conservation, restoration, and land use and policy. 

Save the date! European Mission Soil Week, Leading the transition towards healthy soils (Madrid, 21-23 November 2023) 

From 21 to 23 November, the first European Mission Soil Fair, the EU Soil Observatory Stakeholders’ Forum, and the PREPSOIL project are joining forces to hold a major European conference under the auspices of the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU. The event is kindly hosted by the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC).

The European Mission Soil Week will bring together Mission stakeholders and projects, give visibility to the importance of soil protection, restoration and monitoring, and discuss actions and solutions that are needed to progress towards more sustainable land management. 

If you want to stay tuned for more details, you can pre-register at this link. You will receive more information in the upcoming months.