Project Spotlight
date: 18/10/2023
In this edition of the Mission Soil newsletter, the spotlight is on the NATI00NS project. Funded under the Mission Soil’s 2021 Work Programme, the project started in November 2022 and is expected to end in October 2024. The aim of NATI00NS, as of all projects funded under this work programme, is to support the Mission Soil in establishing 100 Living Labs and Lighthouses to lead the transition towards healthy soils by 2030.
We talked to Ulliana Bertelsen, Quality Coordinator and Project Leader at the Danish Centre for Food and Agriculture (in the picture below), who told us more about the project’s achievements so far.
NATI00NS supports the Mission Soil by offering capacity building to national and regional stakeholders to help them apply for Horizon Europe’s soil health Living Lab calls (also called ‘topics’).
What results has NATI00NS achieved so far?
Our achievements include organising 42 national engagement events across the EU and associated countries from March to June 2023. These events addressed soil health challenges, introduced resilience strategies, and explained the concept of Living Labs.
We have successfully launched a transnational matchmaking platform that helps applicants from regional Living Labs to create consortia across Europe in response to the 2023 Mission Soil call for proposals and the topic of Living Labs. We have also developed training materials focused on writing competitive Living Lab applications. In June 2023, we held a series of webinars for applicants, covering various aspects of Living Labs, such as ‘How to set up a Living Lab’ and ‘Governance and business models for setting up a Living Lab’.
We have also launched a comprehensive set of factsheets about soil health Living Labs.
In addition, we offer support to applicants through our FAQ and Helpdesk digital platform.
In your opinion, why is the Mission Soil’s work important for Europe?
The work of the Mission Soil holds significance for Europe as it involves setting up a network of 100 Living Labs and Lighthouses. This network collaboratively generates knowledge by experimenting with solutions and showcasing their efficacy. This effort is crucial for the transition towards healthier soils to revive and safeguard soil health not only in Europe but also on a global scale.
What do you like most about your work on NATI00NS?
It has been very rewarding to be able to engage in all the activities mentioned above and interact with applicants to support their involvement in the first wave of Living Lab calls. It gives me the opportunity to understand stakeholders’ challenges, drivers and opportunities, and address these factors in the process of creating Living Labs.