Past events  

EIT Food Annual Event 2023 – Transforming Food Systems (Riga, 27–28 June 2023) 

EIT Food held its 2023 Annual Event, uniting stakeholders across the food innovation community. This year's gathering focused on transforming food systems, and featured a special session dedicated to the Mission Soil and its goals, highlighting the essential role of soils in ensuring sustainable food systems. EIT signed the Mission Soil Manifesto, which was welcomed as an opportunity for cooperation in soil protection and restoration. In addition, through a series of interactive sessions, panel discussions and networking opportunities, participants discussed how innovation can tackle global food and climate challenges. 

2023 Wageningen Soil Conference (Wageningen, 28 August−1 September 2023) 

Wageningen University & Research and the International Soil Reference and Information Centre hosted the fifth edition of the Wageningen Soil Conference. The lively event covered topics such as: soils for society, advances in measuring and modelling soil processes, mapping and evaluating soil functions across scales, and soils for nature-based solutions. 

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

The inaugural edition of the European Healthy Soils Conference series focused on the pivotal theme of healthy soils within the framework of the European Soil Strategy. Peter Wehrheim (Mission Soil Deputy Manager, DG RTD) presented the Mission Soil in the opening session of this three-day conference. The event brought together soil scientists, industry representatives, agricultural professionals and public sector stakeholders to discuss the crucial role of healthy soils and soil fertility in supporting a functional society, environment, economy and climate. 

SOILCON – Ground for future cooperation in Europe (Prague, 18 September) 

The conference brought together leading European experts to discuss mission-oriented policies, in particular the Mission Soil, their role in the transition towards healthy soils, and synergies between EU Missions and the EEA and Norway Grants and other instruments. 

The conference featured keynote speeches by Orsolya Frizon-Somogyi, Deputy Head of Research and Innovation Unit in DG AGRI, and Mission Soil Board Member Anna Krzywoszynska. 

The conference covered a broad scope of topics, addressing not just healthy soils but also clean water and forests. During the conference, researchers had the chance to showcase their projects and engage in matchmaking. 

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

The conference emphasised the revaluation of peatlands as key components of national and international strategies for biodiversity, climate change mitigation and water retention. The conference marked a significant juncture, commemorating the culmination of the Interreg North-West Europe project Care-Peat. It also heralded the continuation and beginning of new cooperative peatland projects across Europe. The Mission was also featured in a session dedicated to factors enabling a Green Deal for European peatlands. 

OpenLivingLab Days (Barcelona, 21−23 September 2023) 

The event featured a diverse range of research sessions, interactive workshops and engaging discussions. Attendees were presented with an exclusive opportunity to learn about the most recent trends and advancements within the Living Labs domain. 

The event included a dedicated session on soil health titled ‘How living labs and human-centric approach can support the transition to soil health and agroecology?’. Esteemed speakers such as Kerstin Rosenow, Head of Research and Innovation Unit in DG AGRI and Teresa Pinto Correia, Vice Chair of the Mission Soil Board took part in the event, who presented the Mission Soil emphasising the need to increase society’s soil literacy and the importance of using innovative solutions in soil management. Many other industry specialists delivered presentations, providing attendees with valuable insights into cutting-edge research findings, methodologies and innovative solutions. The conference also included site visits to local innovation spaces and Living Labs. 

International Forum on Agroecosystem Living Labs (4–6 October 2023) 

This international forum was held within the framework of the Adaptation Futures Conference (2–6 October 2023). The event included discussion panels and scientific paper sessions that aimed to establish cutting-edge agricultural practices, share valuable insights from case studies and tackle the challenges faced by the global agroecosystem Living Lab community. Additionally, the forum featured networking opportunities and field tours, fostering dialogue among practitioners, promoting the exchange of innovative ideas, and creating a dynamic platform for collaboration and action. The forum was jointly hosted by the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and France’s Institut national de recherche pour l’agriculture, l’alimentation et l’environnement (INRAE).

The Organic Innovation Days 2023 (Brussels, 25–26 October 2023) 

The Organic Innovation Days 2023 is the only EU event on organic and agroecological research and innovation. The theme of this year’s edition is ‘Citizen-driven transformation of European food systems’. On the first day, the focus will be on the Mission Soil and selected projects and Living Labs, showcasing how organic farming and citizen initiatives can contribute to healthy soils. Besides keynote speakers presenting innovative examples, there will be a high-level panel debate with representatives from the European Commission, followed by a discussion with the audience. 

ECOMONDO The green technology expo (Rimini, 7−10 November 2023) 

Ecomondo is the leading international event in Europe and the Mediterranean basin for technologies, services and industrial solutions in the green economy and circular economy sectors.  

It hosts leading companies in environmental services, solutions, and technologies, covering water management, waste disposal, textiles, bioenergy, soil management and protection, transport, agriculture and sustainable cities. It will feature an extensive programme of conferences, seminars and events including: 

Upcoming events 

European Mission Soil Week: Leading the transition towards healthy soils (Madrid, 21−23 November 2023) 

The event, organised by the European Commission, Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI in collaboration with DG Research and Innovation), the EU-funded project PREPSOIL and the Joint Research Centre - EU Soil Observatory, is designed as a major European gathering that brings together the European soil community. Researchers, policymakers, farmers, foresters, spatial planners, landowners and managers, businesses and organisations as well as the general interested public will meet to discuss the challenges for healthy soils. The event will be an opportunity to communicate and disseminate solutions based on the latest research results and innovations for healthy soils. It is also the perfect chance for the Mission Soil Ambassadors and the signatories of the Mission Soil Manifesto to network and exchange ideas. 

The event, locally hosted by INIA-CSIC at the central facilities of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), will take place under the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU. The plenary sessions will be livestreamed, allowing everyone to get involved! 

Food 2030 Conference: Green and resilient food systems (Brussels, 4−5 December 2023) 

Organised by the European Commission in a hybrid format, the Food2030 conference will highlight the results of initiatives relevant to EU food systems and examine potential directions for future research and innovation towards sustainable and resilient food systems. 

EU Agri-Food Days (Brussels, 6–8 December 2023) 

The first ever edition of the EU Agri-Food Days will gather farmers, EU policymakers, business representatives, analysts and digital experts to discuss the outlook of agriculture in Europe, market trends, food security, sustainability, digital technologies and data flows. This event will offer the opportunity to look at current and upcoming challenges in the European agri-food sector and assess how the Common Agricultural Policy and the EU Green Deal can contribute to deliver a greener, fairer and more competitive agriculture in Europe.