Periodic Reporting for period 1 - NATI00NS (National engagement activities to support the launch of the Mission 'A Soil Deal for Europe’ 100 Living Labs and Lighthouses)
Reporting period: 2022-11-01 to 2023-10-31
The EU Mission "A Soil Deal for Europe" aims at establishing 100 regional Living Labs and Lighthouses as innovation and knowledge beacons that can collaboratively create and test land management practices and solutions within the overall aim to lever systemic change in land use and improve soil health. On this background the overall objective of NATI00NS is reaching out to and preparing potential applicants across Europe to apply for and implement soil health Living Labs, facilitating the deployment of the Mission within all relevant land use types. Thus, NATI00NS designed an overall approach to define, survey and reach out to a variety of stakeholders potentially interested in LLs within Agriculture, Forestry, Urban, industrial/post-industrial and Nature land use types. We also planned for a suite of complementary activities to inform, engage and support potential applicants in up to 44 countries (all EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries) in two annual cycles adjusted to the relevant HE Mission call deadlines. This included national engagement events in all countries, training of national mentors, capacity building activities, a helpdesk and a matchmaking platform to prepare stakeholders to apply for and implement soil health Living Labs.
The main activities conducted in Year 1 of NATI00NS were a series of linked engagement, training and capacity building activities: National engagement events, engaging potential applicants before the deadline for the first call for Living Lab topics, were organised in 42 countries and joint materials were produced all in national languages. Five factsheets on the concept and their specific role of Living Labs and lighthouses were produced and presented. Three webinars were held to support for stakeholders engaging in a Living Lab, focusing on setting up, governance and core elements of Living Labs. Matchmaking Portal was created to facilitate consortium building, providing support for matchmaking of likeminded Living Labs in preparation. The Helpdesk was set up online to address frequently asked questions, providing support until the closure of the 2023 Living Lab topics. Additionally, NATI00NS Mentors were selected in 18 EU or Associated countries to assist applicants at the national level.
Overall, the main achievements of these activities are that NATI00NS has spurred major awareness across Europe as regards knowledge of the Mission Soil, the Living Lab concept, and the criteria for applying for the soil health Living Lab topics. The high number of applications (44, higher than expected) submitted for the first two topics for Living Labs was partly due to NATI00NS activities, from NEEs to training to matchmaking support (see survey among coordinators of proposals under Impact).
Overall, the main achievements of these activities are that NATI00NS has spurred major awareness across Europe as regards knowledge of the Mission Soil, the Living Lab concept, and the criteria for applying for the soil health Living Lab topics. The high number of applications (44, higher than expected) submitted for the first two topics for Living Labs was partly due to NATI00NS activities, from NEEs to training to matchmaking support (see survey among coordinators of proposals under Impact).