Why soil matters?

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13 Why soils matters - A european perspective
Andrea Vettori began by highlighting the main threats
to soil as mentioned in the 2015 edition of the
published by the European
Environment Agency (EEA). First, ‘the ability of soil
to deliver ecosystem services — in terms of food
production, as biodiversity pools and as a regulator
of gasses, water and nutrients — is under increasing
pressure.
Besides, the report says that a ’coherent soil policy at
EU level would provide the framework to coordinate
efforts to survey soil status adequately’. The report
also explains that land take is another cause of land
degradation, i.e soil sealing and use of agricultural land
for energy or infrastructure. Land take concerns most of
Europe and takes place in areas with the most fertile soil,
and therefore constitutes an important threat for food
Andrea Vettori,
Acting Head of Unit Agriculture,
Forests and Soil, DG Environment
Valo Dantinne explains to the audience the work that he has been doing as gardener and trainer for the French
association Terre et Humanisme. Through implementation of agroecological practices in the 600m2 garden in the
Ardèche region, acquired in the year 2000, the team of gardeners and volunteers of the association have succeeded in
bringing soil back to life and reinvigorating a productive piece of land with a large variety of crops. Before 2000,
the soil of the current garden was used as a vineyard, which resorted to heavy pesticide use and tilling, resulting in a
very dry and eroded top soil in which plants were no longer able to grow their roots deep. Within a few years, agro-
ecological practices based on composting, cover cropping and use of green manure have allowed the soil to
restructure, which is visible through its dark colour and its humid, fresh and lumpy texture. This structure is the indis-
putable proof of a better management of microorganisms and iron in the soil, able to provide nutritive food production.
More about the work of Terre and Humanisme
Valo Dantinne,
Agroecological Gardener and Trainer,
Terre et Humanisme, France.
Year after year the work done with volunteers
in our agroecological garden has brought soil back to life.
Now this heaven on earth provides healthy and tasty
vegetables and fruits, according to our needs.’
Valo Dantinne
Proceedings of the Conference