NOVASOIL Policy Recommendations: Pathways to Healthy European Soils by 2050

Despite the crucial role of soils in food security, climate mitigation, and biodiversity, over 60% of European soils are currently in poor condition. Based on the comprehensive analysis conducted through the NOVASOIL Policy Innovation Labs (PILs) and Discrete Choice Experiments across multiple EU countries, we have identified critical institutional gaps and formulated actionable policy recommendations.

To achieve the goals of the European Green Deal and the EU Soil Strategy for 2050, policy action must be urgently directed toward the following five key pillars:

1. Elevating Soil Health as a Direct Policy Priority

Currently, soil health is often addressed indirectly through broader agricultural, water, or biodiversity policies, leading to fragmented responsibilities and diluted efforts.

• Establish Clear Mandates: Soil health must be recognized as a distinct, standalone policy area with dedicated national and regional budgets.
• Enhance Inter-sectoral Coordination: Stronger inter-ministerial collaboration (e.g., agriculture, environment, climate) and multi-level governance are essential to avoid conflicting priorities and ensure cohesive action from the EU down to the local municipal level.

2. Revamping Financial Incentives and Risk Mitigation

Current financial incentives are often perceived by farmers as insufficient to justify the effort or cover the costs of transitioning to sustainable practices like cover cropping, reduced tillage, or agroforestry.

• Systemic and Stackable Incentives: Policies should allow for the “stacking” of different incentive programs, such as combining Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) for both carbon sequestration and biodiversity.
• Hybrid Payment Models: Relying solely on result-based payments can deter participation due to perceived high risks. Implementing hybrid models that combine fixed area-based support (for taking action) with result-based bonuses is a more promising avenue to encourage farmer participation.
• Financial Guarantees: Provide long-term contracts and financial risk guarantees to protect farmers from the economic uncertainties of shifting to new, sustainable practices.

3. Ensuring Stable, Flexible, and Harmonized Regulatory Frameworks

Farmers need planning security. Frequent changes in regulations or funding mechanisms create uncertainty that postpones investments in soil health.

• Long-term Legal Stability: Create stable regulatory environments with clear, long-term goals that do not constantly change course.
• Harmonized but Context-Specific Monitoring: The upcoming EU Soil Monitoring Law must provide a standardized baseline for measuring soil health and carbon changes. However, it must remain flexible enough to adapt to diverse regional pedoclimatic conditions without placing excessive bureaucratic burdens on farmers.

4. Empowering Farmers through Knowledge and Advisory Systems

A lack of awareness and technical know-how remains a significant barrier to the widespread adoption of soil-friendly practices.

• Dedicated Advisory Services: Establish robust agricultural extension services explicitly focused on soil health to guide farmers through both the technical implementation of new practices and the bureaucratic processes required to access funding.
• Living Labs and Co-Creation: Invest in continuous research, demonstration farms (Living Labs), and farmer-to-farmer networks to facilitate knowledge exchange and prove the long-term economic benefits of healthy soils.

5. Engaging the Value Chain and the Private Sector

Public funding alone is insufficient. The private sector and consumers must play a more active role in financing the transition.

• Supply Chain Contracts and Certification: Promote fair, long-term supply chain contracts and recognized certification schemes (e.g., carbon farming certificates, sustainability labels) that provide farmers with premium prices for soil-friendly products.
• Role of Intermediaries: Strengthen the involvement of cooperatives, banks, and local associations as trusted facilitators who can help farmers access credit, navigate private carbon markets, and build successful soil-health business models.

Policy Briefs

Soil is far more than just the ground beneath our feet; it is a strategic environmental asset essential for food security, climate neutrality, and the livelihoods of our rural communities. However, today, over 60% of EU soils are in poor condition. To turn the tide, we need more than just awareness—tenacious policy innovation is required to bridge the gap between scientific knowledge and real-world implementation.

The NOVASOIL D4.2 Roadmap provides a strategic and operational framework to restore European soil health by 2050. This is not just a theoretical document; it is the result of Policy Innovation Labs (PILs) implemented across diverse European landscapes—from integrated olive groves in Spain and vineyards in Bulgaria to carbon credit trials in the Netherlands and organic systems in Germany.

For decision-makers, this report identifies the critical leverage points needed to transform soil governance. Our research highlights that current frameworks often suffer from institutional fragmentation and misaligned economic incentives that reward mere compliance rather than actual environmental performance.

To achieve the goals of the European Green Deal and the EU Soil Strategy, this roadmap proposes:

• Performance-Based Incentives: Shifting from administrative burdens toward outcome-oriented payments that reflect the real costs and risks faced by farmers.

• Regulatory Coherence: Creating stable, flexible legal frameworks that reduce uncertainty and encourage long-term private investment in soil health.

• Co-Creation Ecosystems: Leveraging the “Policy Innovation Lab” model to bring together scientists, farmers, and industry to co-design and test regulatory innovations before they are scaled.

Presented below is the final report detailing the conclusions obtained from each of the NOVASOIL project case studies. This deliverable allows for an understanding of the perceptions regarding soil health held by key stakeholders, while also defining a possible roadmap to enhance policy implementation. Subsequently, the reports generated for each individual case study are provided.

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Following, individual Policy Innovation Lab’ reports are available