LIFE-AGREMSO3IL final meeting

An event aimed at the transfer of the results obtained in the LIFE-AGREMSO3IL project (agrochemical remediation of farm soils by combining solarization and ozonation techniques) was held at the Scientific Park of University of Murcia on December 14th. The event was associated with the World Soil Day (#WorldSoilDay).

The loss of soil quality is a degradation process recognized as one of the most important global issues for food security and sustainability worldwide. World Soil Day 2022, promoted by FAO with the theme “Soils: Where Food Begins” was celebrated on December 5th to raise awareness of the importance of maintaining ecosystem health and human well-being byaddressing the growing challenges in soil management, increasing soil awareness and encouraging societies to improve soil health.

The results obtained over the course of the four years that the project has been up and running were made public. Other soil related projects – LIFE-GEOCARBON, EJP Soil SOMMIT and EJP Soil MINOTAUR – were also present to contribute their experience to the event. During the meeting, it was emphasized the great importance of generating and expanding the scientific knowledge since it will help us to implement all the practical actions necessary to ensure the protection of soils as well as the maintenance of food production and quality in the long term.

LIFE-AGREMSO3IL project, which is co-financed by the European Commission through the LIFE programme, began in July 2018 and is nearing conclusion on 31th December. The project is coordinated by the Instituto Murciano de Investigación y Desarrollo Agrario y Medioambiental (IMIDA) with the cooperation of the Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura (CEBAS-CSIC), Novedades Agrícolas, S.A. (NOVAGRIC) and IDConsortium, S. L., and has counted with the collaboration of the Expo-Águilas cooperative.

 

LIFE-AGREMSO3IL in the Second EUSO Stakeholders Forum

 

After the publication of the EU Soil Strategy and with the EU Soil Health Law being developed, the European Commission has confirmed the paramount importance of healthy soils and their crucial role in tackling major societal challenges such as climate change, biodiversity decline and food security. Building on the EU Soil Strategy, the EU Soil Health Law is expected to include legally binding obligations to achieve healthy soils in the EU by 2050. In this context, the EU Soil Observatory (EUSO) is convening its second Stakeholder Forum, an annual event organized by the JRC whose purpose is to actively engage and exchange with the soil community, in a broad sense – from policy makers, soil and soil-related scientists, local actors, civil society representatives and citizens. This on-line event took place from Monday 24^th to Wednesday 26^th October 2022.

The EUSO aims to become the principal provider of reference data and knowledge at EU-level for all matters relating to soil. It is a dynamic and inclusive platform that supports EU soil-related policymaking by providing knowledge and data flows needed to safeguard and restore soils. EUSO is in close interaction with the soil-related research activities and aims to raise the public’s awareness of the need for soil protection.

Several themes were updated during EUSO second Stakeholders Forum: the latest developments in soil policy, the state of soil science, new and ongoing soil research projects as well as methods to assess soil health in the EU and beyond. Fulgencio Contreras (IMIDA), as LIFE AGREMSO3IL representative, explained the Project objectives and achievements during the Soil Pollution Session.

 

               

LIFE-AGREMSOIL in the Pesticide Behaviour in Soils, Water and Air Conference

 

LIFE AgRemSO3il participated in the Pesticide Behaviour in Soils, Water and Air Conference, held in the Ron Cooke Hub, University of York (UK) from August 31^th to September 2^nd 2022. The conference was a face-to-face event, where the latest research into the environmental behaviour of pesticides and its application in assessing and managing risks to the environment and human health were presented to the pesticide fate community (environmental scientists from research organisations, industry, government and NGO’s and to those in related disciplines seeking a concise overview of the state-of-the art). The event´s presentations included from research into basic processes at lab, field and landscape scales, through monitoring and modelling of environmental behaviour and pathways of exposure, to development of practical management strategies to reduce contamination and new science to address a range of emergingchallenges. IMIDA partner presented the communication ‘Remediation of soils polluted with triazole residues by ozonation technology at laboratory and field scale’.

 

On July 7^th, AGREMSOIL took part in the 1^st workshop on clustering activities of PestNu’s sister Projects co-organized by the Centre for Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH) and the Information Technologies Institute (ITI). During the event, speeches, presentations & posters of the relevant EU research projects, discussions on strategies concerning the Green Deal objectives, as well as round tables for broadening policy context took place.

Fulgencio Contreras (IMIDA) presented an overview of the project and the activities and results up to date and participated in the Round Table related to ‘Pesticides free agriculture & Organic Farming’ together with representatives from other European Projects (PestNu, Organic PLUS, CasH, FoodOASIS, NeoGiant, Algae4Fuel&Aqua, VIRTIGATION, NOVATERRA, SPEL and BPI).

PestNu Project targets the field -testing and demonstration of digital and space based technologies (DST) and agro-ecological and organic practices (AOP) under a systemic approach to reduce the pesticides and fertilisers use, and loss of nutrients. It aims to revolutionize novel, digital and space-based technologies (DST) with agro-ecological and organic practices (AOP) in a systemic approach which can be applied in novel circular economy food production, such as aquaponics, as well as in hydroponic greenhouses and open-field vegetable cultivation for reducing the dependence on hazardous pesticides; reducing the losses of nutrients from fertilisers, towards zero pollution of water, soil and air and ultimately fertiliser use. The PestNu consortium consists of 20 partners from 9 EU countries (Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Cyprus, Austria, Ireland, Sweden, UK). It includes 2 Industries, 10 SMEs, 5 NGOs & Agricultural, Environmental &Food Associations, 1 University and 2 Research Centers.

Link to the PestNu Project: https://pestnu.eu/

As a result of the participation in this event, the Benaki Phytopathological Institute has contacted the LIFE AgRemSo3il project to assess possible future collaborations. Benaki Phytopathological Institute was the first Greek research institute to have a broad scientific basis in plant health and plant protection. The Institute has earned itself a reputation as a guardian of quality, safety and sustainable development in agriculture.