New bioSOILUTIONS Publications: How to Engage Stakeholders for Healthier Soils Across Europe

European soils are facing increased pressure caused by soil sealing, pollution, agriculture, and climate change*. Our bioSOILUTIONS project is addressing these challenges by bringing together key stakeholders in Spain and Belgium through living labs focused on biowaste-based soil improvers. The report “Key challenges, stakeholders, and engagement plans” and the “Step-by-step manual for SOILUTIONS living labs” offer deep dives into how the project is working on new solutions to restore soil health in Europe.

In the project, the CSCP takes a collaborative approach to sustainable soil management by bringing together a diverse group of stakeholders – including researchers, farmers, feedstock suppliers, fertiliser producers, and end-users – in Living Labs in the cities of Murcia and Valencia in Spain and the region of Flanders in Belgium. These labs serve as dynamic innovation hubs, where biowaste-derived soil improvers are co-developed, validated, and tested in real-world conditions.

To kick-start this effort, we identified major challenges hindering the adoption of biowaste-based soil improvers, such as concerns about safety, quality, and economic feasibility. Through stakeholder mapping, we pinpointed key players and unique challenges in each region. Tailored engagement plans have been developed to guide living labs in the respective cities and regions.

In order to enable local partners to run the labs in solution-oriented and impactful ways, the CSCP has crafted a step-by-step manual to guide and support implementing partners.

The bioSOILUTIONS project supports the EU Soil Strategy for 2023, an integral element of the EU Green Deal to protect and restore European soils.

For a detailed read on key challenges, stakeholders, and engagement plans, please download the full report here.

To learn more about the step-by-step manual for living labs, please download your copy of the manual.

For additional information on the bioSOILUTIONS project, please visit the project website.

For further questions, please contact Livia El-Khawad.

* European Environment Agency (EEA) 2023