The main objective of EJP SOIL is to create an enabling environment to enhance the contribution of agricultural soils to key societal challenges such as climate change adaptation and mitigation, sustainable agricultural production, ecosystem services provision and prevention and restoration of land and soil degradation.

The EJP SOIL will build a sustainable European integrated research community on agricultural soils and will develop and deploy a roadmap on climate-smart sustainable agricultural soil management. The EJP SOIL roadmap is based on a knowledge framework with 4 interacting components.

1. Knowledge development is set out in project calls with internal and external partners.
2. Knowledge sharing & transfer is framed in capacity building for young scientists, enhancing general public awareness and fostering societal understanding and appreciation of agricultural soil management and its contribution to society.
3. Knowledge harmonization, storage & organization supports harmonised soil information and reporting practices.
4. Knowledge application deals with ways to overcome barriers for adoption of novel practices in a European context, co-developing adequate tools and providing evidence-based recommendations for EU policies.

EJP SOIL activities in interaction with stakeholders, MSs and DG AGRI will pursue the long-term goal of promoting farmers as stewards of land and soil resources and support policy development and deployment, in particular the CAP and Climate policies.

The EJP SOIL addresses 6 expected impacts with targeted activities in response to societal, scientific, policy and operational challenges. A first annual workplan based on the roadmap is provided as part of the proposal.

The EJP Soil consortium unites a unique group of 26 leading European research institutes and universities in 24 countries. The consortium has developed this proposal in close collaboration with its programme owners and has secured over 40M€ in co-funding and 10M€ for external calls over 5 years.