From soil science to policy

March 31, 2025. This SOILGUARD event, hosted by the Forum for the Future of Agriculture, provided a unique opportunity to spotlight the critical role of soil biodiversity in sustainable land management. Attendees will learn about the latest tools and methodologies for soil health evaluation, policy integration, and practical solutions. The event translated scientific findings into impactful policies through expert panels, innovative projects like SOILGUARD and others, and targeted sessions for diverse stakeholders. Focusing on a knowledge dialogue, actionable recommendations, and dynamic policy discussions, this conference aims to contribute to shaping the future of soil biodiversity strategies.

Session 1: SOILGUARD: Sustainable soil management to unleash soil biodiversity potential and increase environmental, economic, and social well-being

Soil is the foundation of our environment, economy, and food systems—but how well do we understand the biodiversity beneath our feet? A special highlight is the SoilGuardians App, a powerful tool designed to predict how climate change and land management affect social well-being.

Session 2: Measuring soil biodiversity

SOILGUARD identified four key indicators for measuring soil biodiversity, drawing on extensive research findings. 

Session 3: Practical recommendations and policy integration for sustainable soil management

Experts discussed the alignment of these recommendations with the Soil Monitoring and Resilience Directive and the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), while also addressed challenges and opportunities in integrating practical solutions with policy.

Key research messages of SOILGUARD 

Regional/local context and soil management are highly relevant: 

There is a high variability in soil biodiversity depending on region’s climate, soil’s properties and geographical location.

• Climate is the primary driver of cropland biodiversity with high temperatures in warm seasons and aridity potentially linked to biodiversity loss.
• Soil biodiversity can go hand in hand with both soil multifunctionality and crop yields.
• The perceptions of soil contributions to human well-being vary significantly across regions.
• The SoilGuardians App is an innovative tool developed during the project. It serves as a decision-support platform to help farmers evaluate the impacts of their management practices on soil biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.

How do we link the knowledge on Soil monitoring and Climate change resilience to Policy?

• Facilitate the collaboration and cooperation between the existing EU networks and different stakeholders to scale up the success of soil health initiatives.
• Ensure a strong science-to-policy interface, where knowledge and insights are shared and transformed into actionable information for both farmers and policymakers.
• There is a general undervaluation of long-term impacts in both farming and policymaking.