EURAF signs the Mission Soil Manifesto
EURAF is glad to announce the signature to the MissionSoil Manifesto, launched by the European Commission and the European Regions Research and Innovation Network (ERRIN). The Manifesto is a crucial step towards the success of the EU Mission ‘A Soil Deal for Europe’ (Mission Soil).It highlights the critical need for action to protect soil health, involving local stakeholders, businesses, citizens and schools. The Manifesto was also welcomed by Commissioner Wojciechowski, highlighting the impact of the mobilisation of 23 Member States, carrying out initiatives with a direct link to the Mission.
The prime goal of the Mission ‘A Soil Deal for Europe’ is to establish 100 living labs (sites for real-life experiments) and lighthouses (places to demonstrate the application of good practices), transitioning towards healthy soils by 2030.
In fact, it is estimated that around 60-70% of EU soils are currently unhealthy, which
The 8 Mission objectives are:
- reducing desertification
- conserving soil organic carbon stocks
- stopping soil sealing and increasing the re-use of urban soils
- reducing soil pollution and enhancing restoration
- preventing erosion
- improving soil structure to enhance soil biodiversity
- reducing the EU’s global footprint on soils
- improving soil literacy in society
Agroforestry has multiple beneficial effects compared to other land uses without trees, including reducing the risk of nitrate leaching, increasing soil nutrients, Improving carbon sequestration, bettering soil water retention, favouring soil biological quality, and decreasing soil erosion .
Healthy soils are crucial in order to preserve life on earth, as they sustain ecosystem services, including the provision of clean water, safe air, and healthy foods.
Global soils also represent a major carbon sink, storing around 80% of the carbon in terrestrial ecosystems, and that’s why implementing sustainable agricultural practices such as agroforestry, is so important to reach climate mitigation objectives as well as preserving biodiversity and resilience.
In fact, it is estimated that AF could store 5.3 × 109 Mg additional C in soil on 944 Mha globally, with most in the tropics and subtropics.
If you also believe in the urgency of protecting and working towards soil health, you can join the community by signing the manifesto at the following link, both as a representative of a legal entity and as an individual: https://bit.ly/3LvgWwt.
