During the 2nd reporting period, the SIEUSOIL project continued to make significant progress, building upon the achievements of the 1st reporting period. The work carried out and results achieved during this period include:
1) Further Development of the Geo-database: The harmonized Eurasian soil and land geo-database, established in the 1st reporting period, continued to be enhanced. The data model developed in SIEUSOIL served as the basis for the Global Soil Information System (GloSIS), a significant milestone. Pilot data from SIEUSOIL was utilized to evaluate and refine the data model for future applications.
2) Definition of Biophysical Quality Indicators: The project successfully defined a set of biophysical quality indicators for soils and crops, along with their methodologies. Additionally, a common definition of soil quality was elaborated for use in the project's pilots. Notably, a scientific paper based on an assessment of socioeconomic and management factors and soil properties in the dynamics of Phosphorus in agricultural soils of Hungary was published in a peer-reviewed journal.
3) Implementation of Mapping and Management Techniques: SIEUSOIL made progress in implementing mapping and management techniques in different pilot areas. For example, in Belgium and Spain, maps for MZ (management zone) and variable rate fertilization were successfully implemented in four fields. In the Czech pilot farm, maps were developed for bulk density, packing density, moisture content, subsoiler draft, and yield productivity zones, demonstrating within-field variability.
4) Development of Land Suitability Methodology: A land suitability methodology was developed to evaluate factors influencing effective land management, considering aspects such as crop growth, meteorology, landscape, soil, and water. The methodology aimed to assess current conditions and future climate change scenarios.
5) Advancements in the Decision Support System (DSS): Connections among different components of the SIEUSOIL project were identified, as well as dependencies on external data sources. Methods for integrating data into the DSS, especially regarding precision farming services and the land suitability tool, were defined. The development of the Prototype DSS test version commenced, ensuring its timely delivery for testing and validation by project partners.
6) Establishment of Multi-Actor Process and Pilots: The framework for the multi-actor process and validation was further developed, and a detailed baseline description of all pilots was compiled. The co-creation process in all pilots was initiated, engaging stakeholders and incorporating their inputs and perspectives.
7) Impact Analysis and Environmental Assessment: Impact analysis of proposed scenarios for managing soils towards sustainable intensification was performed, considering agro-ecosystem services delivery, socio-economic benefits, and adoption by policymakers. The environmental assessment included aspects of land-use change analyzed through life cycle analysis (LCA). Notably, promising results were obtained with the framework for LCA and its initial tests using pilot data.
8) Emphasis on Communication and Stakeholder Engagement: The project placed significant effort into implementing the communication plan and preparing various communication tools. A strong and results-oriented communication approach was considered crucial for achieving visibility, raising awareness, engaging stakeholders, and meeting key performance indicators (KPIs). The project aimed to establish a recognizable "footprint" for SIEUSOIL as an active and impactful Horizon 2020 project.
9) Finally, the project invested efforts into developing and deploying an optimized management and coordination framework, aligning resources and maximizing the impact of SIEUSOIL in both the European Union and China. The framework aimed to ensure efficient coordination and synergy among project resources, ultimately working towards the achievement of project goals.
