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The event demonstrated that all speakers, whether from the academic
world, civil society, the European Commission or the European Parliament,
agreed on the concerns raised about soil health at EU level and its impact
on food security and climate change. They agreed that work to solve this
concern should continue. There is also a consensus among speakers
that institutional actions taken by the European Commission and FAO or
UNFCCC, need to be completed and improved through the participation of
all stakeholders in the process - including farmers, scientists, NGOs, urban
planners and health professionals - and with the support of examples of
good practice on the ground. All interested parties need to work in close
connection to build the conviction with politicians at local, national and
international level that the issue of healthy living soil is essential and cannot
be ignored anymore.
This debate should be considered as a starting point, to follow-up on the
UN Year of Soils that has now drawn to a close. It clearly pointed out that
specific agricultural practices, based on agroecological methods, free of
external chemical inputs, can improve soil organic matter and consequently,
soil capacity to store carbon. The conference also made clear that
agroecological methods should be part of a coherent policy framework on
soil in order to bring EU soils, spoiled by decades of intensive agriculture
practices, back to life and to help them recover their ability to provide
sustainable food and counter climate change.
5
Why soils matters
- A european perspective
This debate should be considered as a
starting point
, to follow-up on the UN
Year of Soils that has now drawn to a
close.’