Periodic Reporting for period 2 - PREPSOIL (Preparing for the ‘Soil Deal for Europe’ Mission)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2024-01-01 al 2025-06-30
Lack of knowledge and awareness of the importance of long-term soil health is a major driver of soil degradation affecting its capacity to provide ecosystem services. The Mission Soil ‘A Soil Deal for Europe’ Mission proposes a novel approach to R&I for impact, based on strong stakeholder and citizen engagement.
Responding to the intervention logic of the Mission Soil, PREPSOIL's main objectives have been to facilitate the deployment of the Mission Soil across European regions through 1) the creation and roll-out of tools and spaces for interaction, knowledge-sharing and co-learning to improve soil literacy, communication and engagement; 2) stock-taking improving the knowledge base for the soil monitoring framework and mapping and preparing the implementation of regional Soil Health Living Labs; and 3) entering into dialogue with a multitude of stakeholders to understand how regional assessment of soil needs, supported by harmonised monitoring mechanisms, can lead to action in Soil Health Living Labs and Lighthouses.
Responding to the intervention logic of the Mission Soil, PREPSOIL's main objectives have been to facilitate the deployment of the Mission Soil across European regions through 1) the creation and roll-out of tools and spaces for interaction, knowledge-sharing and co-learning to improve soil literacy, communication and engagement; 2) stock-taking improving the knowledge base for the soil monitoring framework and mapping and preparing the implementation of regional Soil Health Living Labs; and 3) entering into dialogue with a multitude of stakeholders to understand how regional assessment of soil needs, supported by harmonised monitoring mechanisms, can lead to action in Soil Health Living Labs and Lighthouses.
PREPSOIL has engaged with more than 80 Communities of Practice from more than 50 regions in the “soil health effort” conducting interviews available as short videos. In addition, PREPSOIL has organized >12 outreach activities among agricultural sector professionals in 7 EU countries bringing awareness and knowledge for sector-oriented communication and capacity building about soil health forward. The Knowledge Hub - a multi-lingual online library of quality soil-related resources -has achieved over 27,000 visits recorded by the end of the project. The high level of engagement signals the relevance of the Knowledge Hub and of improving access to knowledge about soil health for the soil health community in Europe. Through a dynamic and collaborative strategy for engaging stakeholders, PREPSOIL has through its social media effort reached a community around PREPSOIL with 2953 followers on the social media channels and as such succeeded in building a strong stakeholder community fostering trust, mutual understanding, and open dialogue which has led to wider uptake, greater visibility, and increased policy or societal impact.
Contributing to the expected impact of improving the knowledge base and the access to critical information to take action on soil health, PREPSOIL conducted 20 regional soil needs appraisals as “soil needs assessments” in 20 representative European regions engaging more than 500 stakeholders. Following an interdisciplinary and participatory research approach, the aim was to support a wider appraisal effort as further preparation for the next phase of the Mission Soil. Work in second reporting period focused on developing a regionally focused Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA). PREPSOIL successfully delivered a structured training curriculum on soil health monitoring aligned with the emerging EU policy framework. Through a participatory co-creation process, training needs were identified, a modular curriculum was developed, and four pilot training sessions were conducted. More than 80 professionals from various Member States, including technical staff, JRC representatives and high-level experts participated and evaluated the training sessions positively providing a solid foundation for future capacity building efforts across Europe.
PREPSOIL has through its collaborative work identified and documented a wide range of Communities of Practice and notably curated the selection of 20 Communities of Practice published in a dedicated section of the Web Portal with contact information, descriptions of their activities, and details on their thematic focus and expertise. PREPSOIL supported the promotion and development of Mirror Groups, offering examples and guidance to support their formation, helping define their purpose through direct engagement. And PREPSOIL developed a tool to guide science-policy-society interface activities in Mission Soil Living Labs (LLs) particularly suitable for the facilitation of multi-level policy integration. Eventually, towards the end of the project in May 2025, PREPSOIL organised its Final Event at the Committee of the Regions bringing together more than 70 participants from across regions and sectors. The PREPSOIL Final Event featured a comprehensive programme, including keynote addresses, panel discussions, and targeted presentations centred on the key results. The Final Event served as a pivotal moment for the project, enabling direct engagement with end-users, policymakers, researchers, and practitioners, thereby significantly enhancing the visibility and potential uptake of project outputs.
Contributing to the expected impact of improving the knowledge base and the access to critical information to take action on soil health, PREPSOIL conducted 20 regional soil needs appraisals as “soil needs assessments” in 20 representative European regions engaging more than 500 stakeholders. Following an interdisciplinary and participatory research approach, the aim was to support a wider appraisal effort as further preparation for the next phase of the Mission Soil. Work in second reporting period focused on developing a regionally focused Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA). PREPSOIL successfully delivered a structured training curriculum on soil health monitoring aligned with the emerging EU policy framework. Through a participatory co-creation process, training needs were identified, a modular curriculum was developed, and four pilot training sessions were conducted. More than 80 professionals from various Member States, including technical staff, JRC representatives and high-level experts participated and evaluated the training sessions positively providing a solid foundation for future capacity building efforts across Europe.
PREPSOIL has through its collaborative work identified and documented a wide range of Communities of Practice and notably curated the selection of 20 Communities of Practice published in a dedicated section of the Web Portal with contact information, descriptions of their activities, and details on their thematic focus and expertise. PREPSOIL supported the promotion and development of Mirror Groups, offering examples and guidance to support their formation, helping define their purpose through direct engagement. And PREPSOIL developed a tool to guide science-policy-society interface activities in Mission Soil Living Labs (LLs) particularly suitable for the facilitation of multi-level policy integration. Eventually, towards the end of the project in May 2025, PREPSOIL organised its Final Event at the Committee of the Regions bringing together more than 70 participants from across regions and sectors. The PREPSOIL Final Event featured a comprehensive programme, including keynote addresses, panel discussions, and targeted presentations centred on the key results. The Final Event served as a pivotal moment for the project, enabling direct engagement with end-users, policymakers, researchers, and practitioners, thereby significantly enhancing the visibility and potential uptake of project outputs.
1. Fostering the establishment of Mirror Groups
2. Synthesis of soil needs and drivers of change for different land use types
3. Regional focussed strategic research and innovation agenda
4. PREPSOIL Knowledge Hub
5. PREPSOIL Mobile App
6. LL/LH taxonomy, identification and mapping
7. Map of Living Labs and Lighthouses
8. Business Model interactive Canvas
9. Toolbox for Soil Living Labs Growth
10. Analysis of knowledge base available to monitor soil indicators
11. Assessments of soil monitoring satellite-based EO
12. Citizen Science crucial for soil monitoring
13. Training needs for monitoring and assessment of soil health
14. Engagement with Communities of Practice
15. Educational Success Stories
16. Synthesis of training needs and co-learning strategies for AKIS in soil health
2. Synthesis of soil needs and drivers of change for different land use types
3. Regional focussed strategic research and innovation agenda
4. PREPSOIL Knowledge Hub
5. PREPSOIL Mobile App
6. LL/LH taxonomy, identification and mapping
7. Map of Living Labs and Lighthouses
8. Business Model interactive Canvas
9. Toolbox for Soil Living Labs Growth
10. Analysis of knowledge base available to monitor soil indicators
11. Assessments of soil monitoring satellite-based EO
12. Citizen Science crucial for soil monitoring
13. Training needs for monitoring and assessment of soil health
14. Engagement with Communities of Practice
15. Educational Success Stories
16. Synthesis of training needs and co-learning strategies for AKIS in soil health