EIT Food Launches LILAS4SOILS
The official launch of LILAS4SOILS, a pioneering project funded by Horizon Europe, took place on September 24-25, 2024, in Bilbao, Spain. This €11.5 million initiative, coordinated by EIT Food, marks a significant milestone in the EU's Soil Deal for Europe mission, aiming to combat soil degradation and enhance sustainability in European agriculture.
The project, involving 24 partners, will promote Carbon Farming across the Mediterranean and Southern EU regions. Over the next five years, LILAS4SOILS will establish five Living Labs (LLs) across 6 countries, with 85-100 experimental sites that will demonstrate 19 Carbon Farming Practices (CFP) in real-world conditions.
During the launch event, Begoña Pérez Villarreal, Director at EIT Food South, emphasized the importance of collaboration in transforming the agrifood system: “We must work together to transform the agrifood system, and LILAS4SOILS will empower us to achieve this.”. Paola Eulalio, Research Programme Officer at the European Commission, also highlighted the significance of the initiative: “The Soil Mission is the right initiative at the right time, as soils remain at risk. This is a major reason why projects like LILAS4SOILS are essential.”
The LILAS4SOILS project seeks to foster carbon farming systems in Southern Europe by integrating various stakeholders—universities, policymakers, industry leaders, farmers, and civil society—through the innovative Living Lab approach. Pilar Vizcaíno Martínez, EC Project Officer, remarked, “In the Soil Mission Open Call, seven proposals were submitted, with three shortlisted. Ultimately, LILAS4SOILS was selected for funding.”
Nestor Etxaleku, Project Coordinator at EIT Food South, explained that one of the project's key goals is to generate valuable data on soil health: “Soil measurements are not easily obtained. LILAS4SOILS will give us the opportunity to collect soil data on 100 sites over a period of 3 to 4 years, and, as a result, generate meaningful insights to increase adoption of carbon practices and inform future business and policy decision-making.”
The launch event also featured a visit to NEIKER’s facilities in Arcaute, Álava, Spain, where attendees learned about the Basque long-term sustainable agriculture network.
LILAS4SOILS represents an essential step towards healthier soils and more sustainable agricultural practices across Europe. By engaging a diverse group of stakeholders, the project will contribute to the EU's long-term sustainability goals and provide valuable insights into innovative carbon farming practices.
