Better management of land, soil water and nutrients

The importance of soil

Life depends on healthy soil. Soils are a finite resource, crucial for food and nutrition security as well as for climate change mitigation and adaptation, preserving nature and biodiversity, regulating water and nutrient cycles, and sustaining our cultural and landscape heritage. In short, soil is the foundation of our well-being and prosperity.

Yet, it is estimated that between 60-70% of EU soils are unhealthy (EUSO Dashboard) and they experience extensive degradation due to inappropriate management and the effects of climate change. Developing knowledge, research and innovation is essential to improve our understanding of the drivers of soil degradation, to analyse and monitor the impacts of current management practices on the various aspects of soil health, and to advance sustainable soil management in agriculture, forestry and other sectors. Given the diversity of soils across Europe, Research and Innovation is also needed to tailor the analysis and advice for specific places.

Considering the need for place-based developments on soils, the Commission is implementing novel approaches through the EU’s “Soil Deal for Europe”, which includes education, training, investments, monitoring and demonstration of good practices in “living labs” and “lighthouses”.

The EU’s role

EU funded projects contribute to the European Green Deal targets and to global commitments, notably the  Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), on sustainable farming, climate, biodiversity and zero-pollution. The Soil Mission is a flagship initiative of the EU’s Long-term vision for rural areas and the main vehicle for implementing the ambitions of the EU Soil Strategy and upcoming Soil Monitoring Directive.

In addition, we need more knowledge on the long-term processes of soil formation, on soil fertility, and how to improve the productive and ecosystem functions of soil by optimising its biological, chemical and physical properties. Designing ways to increase soil carbon content, enhance soil biodiversity, and reduce soil erosion are crucial for food security. New methods for soil and crop management are emerging from an increased understanding of the ‘soil-food web’, the complex interactions between plants and soils which support water and nutrient uptake by plants or increase resistance against pests and diseases.

Water and nutrients

Agriculture and forestry heavily depend on the availability and quality of natural resources such as nutrients and water. At the same time, primary production directly and indirectly affects the integrity of these resources and can contribute to their depletion. Water scarcity has a significant negative impact on the amount and quality of rainfed crops produced and on irrigated crops. Around 7-8 % of EU farmland is irrigated annually.

When water is scarce, production is lower and prices for food and feed rise, compromising food security and affordability. In situations of extreme drought, woody, perennial crops are at risk of being lost, causing serious economic losses. Inefficient water management in agriculture exacerbates the problem as agriculture is responsible for 24% of water abstraction in the EU, reducing the availability and quality of water.

Excessive irrigation also provokes nutrient and pesticides losses and pollution of surface and groundwater. Climate change aggravates the problem of water scarcity but has also a significant impact on the frequency of phenomena such as heavy rainfall and floods, with negative impacts on the leaching of chemicals, erosion, and people’s safety.

Research and innovation on sustainable water management in agriculture aims to find a balance between maintaining and enhancing yields while reducing costs and environmental impacts. EU-supported Research and Innovation on smart farming, digitalisation, agro-ecology, nature-based solutions, breeding, reuse of treated wastewater, all contribute to enhancing water use efficiency and climate change mitigation and adaptation in agriculture.

Minerals and food security

The primary nutrients required for crop production are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Therefore, fertilisers play a significant role in food security. Farmers apply fertilisers made from atmospheric nitrogen, minerals and organic sources to meet the nutrient requirements of their crops and support yields.

The EU is largely dependent on imports of mineral fertilisers. Furthermore, during the peak in gas prices in the summer of 2022, gas accounted for up to 90% of the variable production cost of nitrogen fertilisers. This resulted in a 149% increase in the price paid for these products by EU farmers in September 2022 compared with September 2021, impacting farmer incomes and food prices.

The objective of the EU farm-to-fork strategy is to reduce nutrient loss by 50% by 2030 while preserving soil fertility. This is expected to lead to a reduction in fertiliser use of at least 20%. Research and innovation on the sustainable management of nutrients aims to find the balance between maintaining and enhancing yields while reducing fertiliser-related losses and emissions, environmental impacts and costs. In addition, developing methods to extend efficient nutrient recycling from different waste streams contributes to reducing the dependency of European agriculture on mineral fertilisers from outside the EU.

Closing the loop

The European Commission communication- Closing the loop – an EU action plan for the circular economy lays the foundations for an economy where the value of resources is maintained for as long as possible, and waste is minimised. Furthermore, the European Commission will release a new EU Bio-economy Strategy in 2025.

In agriculture, this mainly refers to the recycling of nutrients, the reuse of treated wastewater, or enhancing the value of waste in the context of the bioeconomy. Research and innovation have a key role to play in developing solutions that will help strike a balance between productivity and environmental goals in agriculture and forestry.

Research in action

Soil biodiversity's impact on the environment, crop yields and agri-food systems

Soils host a quarter of our planet’s biodiversity and safeguards ecosystems. EU-funded research is increasing knowledge on soil biodiversity and its manifold ecosystem services to unleash its potential for more sustainable soil management.

• EXCALIBUR studies the importance of soil microbial communities in agricultural soil systems. It will test and deliver new multifunctional soil microbial products for achieving lower input farming systems.
• SoildiverAgro promotes the adoption of crop management practices and systems that enhance soil functional biodiversity to reduce the use of external inputs while increasing crop production and quality.
• SOILGUARD is developing an analytical framework for the assessment of soil biodiversity and its functions to support stakeholders in their transition to sustainable management. SOIL-O-LIVE addresses the link between soil biodiversity and the quality of olive production in the Mediterranean Region.
• BIOservicES and SOB4ES will explore the role of soil biodiversity in the delivery of ecosystem services in different land uses.

Decontaminating soil

Pollutants from plastics, pesticides, heavy metals and other substances are a wide-spread problem in agriculture.

• PAPILLONS explains the ecological and socioeconomic sustainability of agricultural plastics (APs) in relation to the release and the impact of micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) in European soils.
• MINAGRIS assesses the use of different plastic polymers in agricultural systems and identifies the resulting types and concentrations of MNPs. It also provides validated analytical tools that allow the quantification and identification of these substances.
• ARAGORN, EDAPHOS and ISLANDR will develop strategies for the decontamination and reuse of soils.

Monitoring soil health

Soil monitoring is key for assessing the status of soil health and the impact of different soil management practices and policies on land management.

• BENCHMARKS will develop an Integrated Soil Health Monitoring Framework including a Soil Health Dashboard, based on a validated set of soil health indicators. The framework will be tested using case studies considering various scales, land uses and pedoclimatic conditions.
• AI4SoilHealth will create an open access, European-wide digital infrastructure for assessing and monitoring soil health metrics by land use and/or management based on advanced AI methods. This will include the development of a Soil Digital Twin.
• MARVIC and MRV4SOV will assess the effects of farming practices on soil carbon dynamics and develop a robust system for monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) of carbon removal. This is essential for the widespread uptake of carbon farming practices.

Helping business and agriculture ensure soil health

• InBestSoil, NOVASOIL and SoilValues will help develop a set of comprehensive methods, market instruments and policy recommendations to support land managers in rural and urban areas with incentives for sustainable land and soil management and generate new income opportunities. In addition, work will support industries in their efforts to develop soil friendly and climate neutral value chains.
• NBSoil focuses on training specialised soil advisors, based on the development of novel learning material, digital tools and open spaces for information.

Ensuring water resilience

European farmers are challenged by the need to maintain or increase crop yields and quality with reduced or more variable rainfall. TOMRES, SolACE, BRESOV and Shui Horizon 2020 projects identified and tested novel solutions for improving crop efficiency for water use.

• TOMRES selected tomato rootstocks and scions tolerating combined stress, while retaining fruit quality and yield.
• Solace developed solutions for improving crop efficiency through the design of novel crop genotypes and agroecosystem management innovations to improve water use efficiency.
• BRESOV provides climate-resilient cultivars for organic vegetable production systems.
• Shuiis provides a platform for research on soil-water resources management under scarce conditions, integrating long-term experiments across different environmental conditions and cropping systems from the EU and China.
• The Root2Res Horizon Europe project will develop and use tools to define and test innovative genotype ideotypes able to enhance the tolerance to abiotic stress. BOOSTER will develop innovative and sustainable strategies to improve drought tolerance in cereals.

Efficient water use

• FATIMA, FERTINNOWA, MASLOWATEN, MOSES, and WATERAGRI (or WATERPROTECT) develop innovative tools that help optimise water management and other external inputs.
• FATIMA has produced a wide range of tools, from webGIS platforms to calculators.
• FERTINNOWA is a thematic network of innovative technologies and practices for fertigation of horticultural crops.
• MASLOWATEN contributes to reducing water consumption, using Automatisms, ICT and Precision Agriculture-based solutions. MOSES’ is developing an information platform for water procurement and management agencies to facilitate planning for irrigation water resources.
• WATERAGRI aims to reintroduce and enhance sustainable solutions for water retention and nutrient recycling.
• WATERPROTECT contributes to effective uptake and realisation of management practices and mitigation measures to protect drinking water.
• The PHITO Horizon Europe project is a platform that offers free data-driven agronomic advice on soil, water and crops tailored for small and medium farmers by simplifying digital farming.

Water reuse 

• Wastewater is an alternative water supply that can help address water scarcity. So far, this practice is underutilised in the EU. The Water Reuse Regulation came into force on 26 June 2023. SuWaNu Europe promotes the effective exchange of expertise between the relevant actors in water reuse in agriculture. The project summarises existing and upcoming knowledge and skills in eight EU regions.
• OPTAIN aims to identify efficient and easy-to-implement techniques for the retention and reuse of water and nutrients in small agricultural catchments across Boreal, Continental, and Pannonian regions, and to optimise the spatial allocation and combination of Natural/Small Water Retention Measures from 14 case studies.
• MADFORWATER developed a set of integrated technological and management solutions to enhance wastewater treatment, reuse for irrigation and water efficiency in agriculture in three Mediterranean African Countries.
• Project Ô develops water management and treatment technologies to increasing the opportunity to reuse water, creating new business opportunities to trade water and resources, while using less operating energy when treating water.