Survey - Mission Soil health and food

 

Complete the survey and let us know what you think by 19 January 2020.

 

 

What this mission area deals with

The importance of soil health and food

Land and soils are essential for all life-sustaining processes on our planet. They are the basis for the food we grow as well as for many other products such as feed, textiles, or wood.

Soils also provide a range of ecosystem services which are important for clean water, supporting biodiversity or for cycling nutrients and regulating climate.

Soils are highly dynamic and fragile systems - and they are a finite resource. It can take up to 1,000 years to produce 1cm of soil.

Soils are facing pressures from an increasing population with demands on land for production, settlement and industries. Soils are also heavily affected by climate change, erosion and sea level rises. Approximately 33% of our global soils are degraded and in the EU, erosion is affecting 25% of agricultural land.

Aims of missions in this area

A mission in the area of soil health and food will provide a powerful tool to raise awareness on the importance of soils, engage with citizens, create knowledge and develop solutions for restoring soil health and soil functions.

This will allow full use of the potential of soils to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Results will have a direct impact on the success of the new European Commission's Green Deal and its ambition to progress on climate, biodiversity and sustainable food.

Your opinion counts

What do you know about soils? What do you expect from a mission in the area of Soil health and food?

Complete the survey and let us know what you think by 19 January 2020.

How specific missions will be identified

This mission area has a mission board tasked with identifying one or more specific missions for implementation under Horizon Europe.  The mission board consists of 15 experts, including the chair, and is supported by a mission secretariat and an assembly.  

They will have to propose concrete targets and timelines for each mission by the end of 2019. 

More information