Challenges and opportunities in sustainable soil management in Europe: Evidence from the EJP SOIL consultations

Abstract

Soil is a diverse natural resource that faces significant challenges requiring sustainable management. Between 2020 and 2024, the European Joint Programme on Soil (EJP SOIL) consulted hundreds of stakeholders in Europe. The main results of three of these consultations are presented, with surveys on the main challenges, the state of knowledge and its use, and the gaps in sustainable soil management. In Portugal in 2024, stakeholders reflected on the strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities in the agri-food context. The results show barriers of networking, communication and economic issues that limit the development and application of soil research knowledge. There was a regional perception of some soil threats, such as soil salinisation, which is a concern mainly in southern Europe. In Portugal, concern about soil biodiversity increased between 2020 and 2024. Sustainable agricultural soil management will benefit from more funding to create scientific knowledge, the training of technicians, national infrastructures linked to European networks, and appropriate policy measures to support producers in production costs and in the creation of market value.