Past events 

EU stand at the Salon International de l’Agriculture 2024 (Paris, France, 24 February-3 March) 

The Salon International de l’Agriculture provided a platform to showcase the EU's commitment to green, resilient and sustainable farming practices. Visitors learned about the pivotal role of the CAP in ensuring safe, affordable food, environmental stewardship and vibrant rural communities while supporting farmers’ incomes. Additionally, attendees discovered how the EU promotes healthier food choices and reduces food waste to achieve sustainable food systems targets. Moreover, the event highlighted EU initiatives empowering the farming industry through advanced technologies such as satellite imagery and real-time data, fostering informed decision-making and sustainable farming practices. 

European Carbon Farming Summit 2024 (Valencia, Spain, 5-7 March) 

The inaugural EU Carbon Farming Summit brought together experts, innovators and thought leaders from across Europe to discuss innovation and opportunities for carbon farming. Attendees, including farmers, policymakers, environmentalists, and technology experts, explored innovative techniques to boost the adoption of carbon farming practices. With a focus on techniques that sequester carbon, enhance soil health and promote biodiversity, the summit aimed to catalyse collaboration and drive actionable solutions to address the urgent challenges facing European agriculture. 

European Research and Innovation (R&I) Days 2024 (Brussels, Belgium, 20-21 March) 

The event brought together policymakers, researchers, stakeholders and the public to shape the future of research and innovation in Europe and beyond. Participants engaged in discussions on making Europe greener, fairer and more competitive, reflecting on a 40-year journey through the research and innovation framework programmes. Successful EU-funded research and innovation projects were showcased, highlighting their societal impact. 

During the session on EU Missions for the Green Deal, Teresa Pinto Correia, Mission Soil Board Vice-Chair, highlighted the Mission Soil, emphasising the critical role of soils in supporting food production, carbon storage, water infiltration and biodiversity. She outlined the Mission's commitment to financing knowledge and action on soil, disseminating scientific guidance, and engaging society in improving soil management. Teresa stressed the need for interactive innovation, knowledge transfer and monitoring to address gaps in soil research and implementation, advocating for holistic approaches and transformative business models to promote sustainable soil practices. Watch the full opening session. 

The Land and Soil Management Award ceremony (Brussels, Belgium, 26 March) 

In March 2024, the prestigious Land and Soil Management Award was presented to the French project Halage. The award recognises exemplary land use and soil management practices aimed at mitigating various soil threats, including degradation, erosion, contamination and loss of biodiversity. It also promotes innovative concepts of land and soil protection, raising awareness of their vital functions. The jury, comprising representatives from the European Commission, European universities, and the public and private sectors. 

LIFE Platform Meeting on Soils (Pamplona, Spain, 10-11 April) 

The event brought together approximately 50 soil-related projects funded by the LIFE Programme, including LIFE DESERT-ADAPT, LIFE CO2SAND and LIFE FRAC-IN, to showcase their insights and results on bioremediation, soil conservation, contamination and management. Participants delved into horizontal topics including soil health monitoring, climate change and the promotion of soil literacy. 

Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health (AFSH) Summit (Nairobi, Kenya, 7-9 May) 

Africa’s land can sustainably produce enough food for its people, but years of use have depleted it. The 2024 AFSH Summit emphasised the need to “Listen to the Land” to understand its restoration need. The summit brought together all relevant stakeholders to highlight the crucial role of fertiliser and soil health in stimulating sustainable productivity growth in African agriculture and to agree on an African Fertilizer and Soil Health Action Plan, as well as the Soils Initiative for Africa. European Commission representatives presented the EU Mission ‘A Soil Deal for Europe’ and in particular the topic Assessment of Soil Health in Africa currently open for welcome proposals. Expected outcomes of this call include strengthen the international dimension of the Mission Soil and support global commitments to healthy soils and SDGs, in the areas of sustainable agriculture, food and nutrition security, biodiversity, and climate. 

Centennial Celebration and Congress of the International Union of Soil Sciences (Florence, Italy, 19-21 May) 

The event was a crucial moment to strengthen inter-disciplinary connections between policy makers, stakeholders, institutions, and associations to effectively respond to societal needs. Plenary and parallel scientific sessions involved soil scientists and specialists from various fields such as agriculture, forestry, environment, urban planning, energy, and education. 

Annual Science Days 2024 (Vilnius, Lithuania, 10-14 June): hosted by the European Joint Programme Soil (EJP SOIL) project, the event will focus on ensuring accessibility and dissemination of EJP SOIL results. 

Upcoming events 

TERRAenVISION 2024 (Valencia, Spain, 8-11 July): the conference aims to foster inter-disciplinary collaboration and innovation for a climate resilient society. Sessions will include discussions on integrating multi-level soil biodiversity indicators for comprehensive nature-based solution (NBS) evaluation and monitoring in agriculture and NBS for natural areas (soil, water and landscape). 

For more details on global soil-related events, please visit the Mission Soil interactive event map. 

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