Monetary valuation of soil ecosystem services and creation of initiatives to invest in soil health: setting a framework for the inclusion of soil health in business and in the policy making process

Project Information

InBestSoil

Grant agreement ID: 101091099

DOI

10.3030/101091099

EC signature date 14 November 2022

Start date 1 January 2023

End date 31 December 2026

Funded under

• Food, Bioeconomy Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment

Total cost

€ 4 587 468,75

EU contribution

€ 4 587 468,00

Coordinated by

UNIVERSIDAD DE VIGO
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - InBestSoil (Monetary valuation of soil ecosystem services and creation of initiatives to invest in soil health: setting a framework for the inclusion of soil health in business and in the policy making process)

Reporting period: 2024-07-01 to 2025-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The InBestSoil project is dedicated to economically valuing soil ecosystem services and fostering initiatives that encourage investment in soil health. This effort aims to establish a comprehensive framework for integrating soil health considerations into business operations and policymaking processes. The project’s overarching objectives include building strong communities of key stakeholders. Drawing from case studies, particularly in seven Lighthouses (LHs) and two Living Labs (LLs), InBestSoil promotes co-creation, co-design, and co-innovation to form partnerships that prioritize investment in soil health. Another key objective is to define and evaluate soil health indicators: the project team is developing a comprehensive list of indicators and assessing the economic value of the ecosystem services they support, thereby establishing the basis for sustainable investment strategies. In addition, InBestSoil is conducting an economic analysis of existing business models for soil health improvement, exploring their potential for scalability across Europe. In collaboration with relevant actors, the project is co-designing innovative business models that incorporate the value of soil health and the benefits provided by associated ecosystem services. Moreover, InBestSoil is evaluating current policies and developing tools to incorporate economic aspects of soil health into public policies. Finally, the project is committed to disseminating knowledge about the economic valuation of soil ecosystem services. By embedding the economic value of soil ecosystem services into both business and policy frameworks, the project is expected to enhance soil management practices through sustainable business models that incorporate soil health indicators, supporting the conservation and restoration of this essential resource. It also seeks to foster cooperation among diverse actors to collectively address soil degradation and promote inclusive, effective governance.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

During the first months, in the InBestSoil project, we made substantial progress. In the context of our case studies, a comprehensive mapping of more than 200 relevant stakeholders (involved or related with the activities of the case studies) was completed, ensuring broad representation across the soil health value chain. This initial mapping has enabled effective engagement with diverse groups and supported the development of a collaborative digital platform. The platform (Soilcommunity.app) now fully operational, facilitates interaction among project partners, other European projects, and external stakeholders, fostering the co-development of business cases related to soil health. The SoilCommunity Platform was consolidated as a shared engagement and co-learning space across multiple EU soil projects, hosting six cross-project webinars with 471 participants. Also, co-creation activities moved beyond engagement towards actionable outcomes, with preparatory work initiated to translate results into operational frameworks for the creation of new LLs. Soil health assessment and integrated evaluation delivered a comprehensive dataset combining soil health indicators, LCA, ecosystem service valuation, and cost–benefit analysis across LLs and LHs. Despite inherited delays in sampling and laboratory analyses, all key milestones were achieved or rescheduled without negative spillovers to other WPs. Innovations included the calibration of infrared spectroscopy for rapid soil health assessment, the integration of LCA with economic environmental valuation, and evidence-based comparisons of management practices highlighting environmental and economic trade-offs. Further advancing our objectives, a novel European Sustainable Business Model framework for soil health was developed based on a systematic review of 215 studies and empirical validation with farmers and foresters. Large-scale econometric analysis of 2,728 farms provided robust evidence on trade-offs between productivity and soil health, while forestry and agroforestry case studies delivered transferable evaluation tools. Food system modelling at EU level was initiated to assess large-scale impacts of soil-health-oriented practices. Also, we advanced by identifying institutional barriers and drivers for sustainable soil management, focusing on cross-sector partnerships and commons-based governance. Empirical validation activities were launched in LLs and LHs, supporting the operationalization of previously developed protocols and laying the groundwork for validated soil-health-based business models. We also delivered key outputs on soil health certification and economic incentive schemes. Soil health indicators were successfully integrated into discussions on carbon farming certification, proposing soil health as a certified co-benefit. A comprehensive toolbox of financial and economic incentives was developed, grounded in EU and national policy analysis and case study evidence. Initial synthesis activities towards co-created policy recommendations were initiated.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

InBestSoil delivers results that go beyond the state of the art by integrating soil science, economics, business models, and policy instruments into a coherent, operational framework for soil health protection and restoration. The InBestSoil project has developed a comprehensive toolkit of soil health indicators that provides a more holistic and precise evaluation by integrating ecological, agronomic, and economic dimensions. This approach surpasses traditional methods that often focused on isolated indicators, enabling tailored and efficient soil management practices suited to the specific needs of each context. Additionally, the identification and classification of nine archetypes of sustainable business models related to soil health marks a significant advancement. By organizing these models into "Environmental-Technological," "Social-Organizational," and "Economic" dimensions, the project offers a structured framework that facilitates the scaling of soil health interventions across various sectors, including both agricultural and forestry domains. A centralized digital platform, developed through InBestSoil, breaks new ground by fostering collaboration among farmers, policymakers, and researchers. Previously fragmented, this area now benefits from a unified platform that not only enhances communication but also supports co-creation and innovation in soil health practices.