Soil degradation is becoming an increasing concern for the sustainability and productivity of apple orchards, especially in the Grójec region, which is Poland’s most significant apple-producing area. To preserve this vital resource, it is essential to rethink current practices and adopt a more collaborative, knowledge-driven approach.

In this context, the Grójec Living Lab (LL) aimed at identifying and addressing real-world soil health challenges in apple orchards. Its objective is to combine scientific research with practical knowledge from the field, engaging farmers, advisors, and researchers in a shared process of diagnosis and solution development. 

To structure this effort, representative orchard sites have been selected across the region, each reflecting different soil types, management histories, and agricultural practices. Using a participatory approach—consisting of field visits, farmer interviews, and preliminary analyses—recurring issues have been identified. These include degraded soil structure, low organic matter content, imbalanced pH and nutrient levels, and minor contamination signs. Such conditions are believed to significantly affect biological activity in the soil, leading to a decline in soil fertility and resilience.

In response to these challenges, nature-based practices will be tested at selected sites. These practices include the introduction of cover crops, soil-enhancing microbial preparations, and the application of organic mulches—measures tailored to the specific needs of each orchard.

This combination of on-farm observation, scientific input, and farmer-led engagement provides a foundation for locally relevant, sustainable solutions. Through this approach, the Grójec LL is contributing not only to improved soil health but also to the long-term viability of apple farming in the region addressing the decline in soil fertility and resilience.

The Grójec Living Lab (LL), located in central Poland, is a part of the LivingSoiLL project and brings together farmers, researchers, and other agricultural stakeholders to improve soil health in one of Europe’s most prominent apple-producing regions. The area faces a range of soil challenges that directly affect the productivity and sustainability of apple orchards. 

To address these issues, a co-creation workshop was held in December 2024, organized by the Warsaw University of Life Sciences (WULS). The aim was to identify soil threats and suitable Experimental Sites, while exploring strategies that could be implemented and monitored throughout the project. 

The workshop combined structured group activities with open discussions. During the first activity, farmers proposed several Experimental Sites and shared the challenges they face on their farms. Most of these challenges align with the EU Soil Mission objectives. Among the most frequently mentioned soil threats were those related to the conservation of soil organic carbon stocks followed by reducing desertification. Additional concerns referred to prevention of soil erosion, improving soil structure to enhance soil biodiversity, and reduction of soil pollution enhancing restoration. The second part of the workshop focused on participants’ hopes and concerns. Farmers emphasized expectations for increased yield quality and improved soil fertility, while also voicing fears about the effectiveness of new practices and the project’s timeframe. These insights were visualized in word clouds to support reflection and collective understanding. 

The co-creation process proved to be essential in aligning actors’ expectations, improving mutual understanding, and building trust. It laid a strong foundation for the next steps of the Grójec LL — including in-depth monitoring and implementation of specific soil health solutions — all designed to restore and maintain soil health in apple orchards of the region. 

• LivingSoiLL Co-Creation Workshop

Faced with soil degradation, a major challenge, it has become essential to rethink and adapt agricultural practices to preserve this vital resource.

In France, the LivingSoiLL Living Lab (LL) focuses on two regions: Beaujolais and Loire Valley. Its goal is to foster reflection and collective engagement on soil health challenges in vineyards. Key threats were identified through workshops in November 2024, followed by the selection of six experimental sites (EXPS). Four additional sites are expected to be established in autumn via an Open Call.

Analyzing soil-related issues is complex, as soil health depends on multiple interconnected factors, including texture, structure, chemical and organic composition, biological activity, management history, farming practices, climate, and topography. Each one of these factors influences soil health and fertility, requiring a precise, tailored analytical approach.

Additionally, each region presents specific threats, as identified by the LL actors:

Soil health is a crucial issue that directly impacts the sustainability of agricultural practices. To address this, the European project LivingSoiLL adopts a co-creation approach, a participatory process fostering the exchange of ideas and experiences among stakeholders.

In France, the project focuses on vineyards in two key regions: Beaujolais and the Loire Valley. In each region, two workshops brought together a diverse group of participants—including farmers, advisors, researchers, and industry professionals—to collectively reflect on soil health issues and strategies for its preservation.

Each workshop was designed to maximize interactions: participants were divided into small, heterogeneous groups, led by a moderator, alternating between individual and collective reflection. Interactive materials (StickyWall) on the walls were updated throughout the discussions to support engagement.

Through these workshops, we have built an engaged community, based on voluntary participation, fostering regular moments of exchange. The objective is to maintain this dynamic throughout the entire duration of the Living Lab, allowing members to share experiences and collectively refine strategies.

The first workshop focused on identifying the main threats to soil health, while the second analyzed experimental sites and co-developed tailored strategies. These challenges, as presented by LL actors, vary by region:

• LivingSoiLL Co-Creation Workshop

The importance of preserving and improving soil health has been overlooked too often in the past, and now many soils in Piemonte (NW Italy) suffer from diffuse degradation problems. When degradation occurs in areas where soils are fragile, such as the hilly areas of central Piemonte (Langhe, Roero and Monferrato) the risk of losing this non-renewable resource is extremely high. Water erosion on sloping surfaces removes the most fertile and biologically active part of the soil; the soil compaction compromises the development of the soil's biological communities and alters the water storage capacity, and the loss of organic matter decreases soil fertility. All these soil health problems have evident links with crop yields.  

There are several ways to identify soil health problems. The most obvious is, in a co-creation approach, when farmers report about the problems they experienced. The second way is the field assessment. For instance, rill formation and root exposures are clear field evidence of soil erosion. A full assessment, however, can only be done by digging a small pit and check soil morphology. Compaction, poor structure, water logging, poorly decomposed organic residues, light colors, lack of earthworms and small arthropods indicate poor soil health and functioning. Further data on indicators can be obtained through chemical analyses. It should be however kept in mind that soil chemical analyses are valuable as they provide quantitative data, but trees do not live in the exact soil sample (fine fraction, <2 mm) that is sent to a lab. Roots explore a volume of soil in which the fine fraction is only part of a more complex body formed by stones, voids, organisms, and aggregates that interact all together and provide the environment in which trees live and feed. The identification of soil health problems should therefore proceed step by step, as only multiple scales of observation can capture the complexity of the soil. 

Soil research has made many advancements on the topic of soil health. By looking at the mechanisms that affect erosion, soil structure and the preservation of organic matter in the soils, researchers can offer potential solutions to improve soil health.  So, why is the soil still undergoing degradation in many tree crop areas in Piemonte? There is an obvious gap between research and the application of the research results in real-life conditions. 

The LivingSoiLL project aims at filling this gap through a novel approach to soil health: co-creation. Co-creation is a participatory process where all participants share their thoughts and experiences in a multi-actor approach. It’s not bottom-up, nor top-down, it’s co-creation. During a workshop held in November at Vite Colte Winery in Barolo (Langhe area, NW Italy) the problems of soil health in vineyards, hazelnut orchards, and chestnut groves were evidenced by farmers and technicians. Four discussion groups focusing on a specific question and led by a rapporteur were formed, the participants moved from one group to the other after a fixed time, and a general discussion on the results followed. The main soil health problems identified were the loss of soil structure and erosion (35 and 25% of the answers), which affected the three crops in a comparable way. Many suggestions about possible solutions/mitigation measures were mentioned: such as the increase of soil organic matter or the need to avoid soil compaction through appropriate soil management. 

A further step in co-creation is that of field visits, when soil experts will use their skills to further interact with farmers, technicians and land-owners. The theoretical bases of a solution for the identified problem can then emerge, and will be tailored to real-life conditions in the experimental sites of the LL. 

• LivingSoiLL Co-Creation Workshop

Soil health is a critical factor in the sustainability and productivity of olive orchards, especially in regions like Andalusia, where olive cultivation is a cornerstone of agriculture. In the context of the Andalusian Living Lab (LL), identifying soil health problems is essential for developing effective, and innovative solutions that can be applied in real-world conditions. 

The LL plays a critical role in addressing soil health problems in olive orchards by providing a platform for stakeholders to collaborate. The participatory approach, which emphasizes field visits, co-creation events, and interviews with farmers, ensures that the problems identified are rooted in real-world experiences and are relevant to local farming. Field visits allow for direct observation of soil conditions and enable the collection of data, soil samples (for preliminary physico-chemical lab analyses) and visual assessments of tree health. Co-creation events further enhance this process. By discussing face-to-face with farmers, we have been able to gather valuable insights into the challenges they face and the strategies they employ to manage them. This farmer-driven data collection is crucial for understanding the local context and ensuring that proposed interventions are tailored to the specific needs of each farm. By combining scientific expertise with local knowledge, the LL helps design and test soil management practices that can improve soil health, increase productivity, and ensure the long-term sustainability of olive cultivation in Andalusia. 

In summary, identifying soil health issues in the experimental farms of LivingSoiLL has been a comprehensive, participatory process providing insight into the challenges olive growers face in Andalusia and supported the development of locally adapted solutions. Through collaboration, innovation, and the active involvement of farmers, the LL is paving the way for more sustainable and resilient olive orchards in the region. 

Around 60–70% of soils in the European Union (EU) have been classified as unhealthy soils, due to natural and socio-economic factors. Given this alarming situation, there is growing concern that fundamental research, often done in controlled conditions, may not be sufficient on its own to address the dramatic decline in soil health.

Innovative tools and methodologies should be applied to revert this situation and bring science to real-world contexts. With this idea, a co-creation workshop was organised by the Andalusian Living Lab (LivingSoiLL project). The goal was to foster collaboration and free discussion among the partners to share experiences and assess key aspects for the latter implementation. With this purpose in mind, an engaging and immersive approach was used to address topics such as soil health threats and strategies to combat these problems.

Participants were first divided into two main groups, then into smaller clusters of four to five for developing co-creation activities. These groups were heterogeneously constituted to enhance diversity and interaction. Key topics included identifying main soil threats, drafting action plans to address them, and defining criteria for selecting experimental sites.

Results indicated that improving soil structure to enhance biodiversity and preventing erosion are the main concerns of the session participants. Regarding solutions to overcome these threats, the strategies most repeatedly mentioned were the setup of infiltration strips in the soil, the use of amendments rich in organic matter and terrace cultivation when the slope in the farms is high.

Similar events, as well as field visits, will be organized to take each step in the implementation of this LL hand in hand with all the partners of the Andalusian LL consortium. The experience served to evaluate what kind of activities work best to obtain feedback tailored to real-life conditions and to optimize the strategy and agenda for the next co-creation events.

• LivingSoiLL Co-Creation Workshop

The Luso Galician Living Lab (LG-LL) anchors on established multi-actor communities located in two neighbour regions, North of Portugal and Galicia. It is dedicated to two permanent crops (vineyards and olive groves) and it aims to be a reference in practices for maintaining healthy soils, mainly in hilly landscapes, where erosion is the main soil threat, which in parallel with water shortage may put yield and the quality of grapes and olives at risk. The community of this LL includes actors from 10 farmers/SMEs, 2 farmers associations, 3 universities, 2 consulting/service providers, 1 foundation, 1 seed supplier and 1 regional administrative authority which together will set up 20 experimental sites and identify at least 4 lighthouses. 

A co-creation workshop was organized with LG-LL partners to discuss soil health issues on their farms, and to collect data on known or applied solutions. By bringing together producers, researchers and consultants, a dynamic environment for exchanging knowledge and integrating different perspectives was created and encouraged between the participants.  

When asked about soil challenges, most of the responses aligned with the aims of the Soil Mission mainly addressing a) the need to improve soil structure and to increase biodiversity; b) soil contamination; c) low soil organic carbon levels, and erosion. Other recorded answers included: water scarcity, poor fertility, soil acidity, pests, diseases and soil stoniness.

Concerning the strategies to overcome the soil threats listed by the participants, the majority were in fact linked with soils and, most of the responses referred to: (1) the addition of organic material to the soil (either through mulching or the application of compost), (2) the use of cover crops and (3) the reduction/elimination of the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. The participants also highlighted the great importance of soil and water monitoring as a way of combating soil health problems.

• LivingSoiLL Co-Creation Workshop

The Luso-Galician Living Lab (LG-LL), located in NW Iberia, unites Galicia and Northern Portugal to co-develop solutions for improving and restoring soil health in vineyards and olive groves. 

The first step is to identify soil problems and to propose solutions to be applied in real-life environments (Experimental Sites-EXPS), where co-testing, experimentation, and co-creation activities are planned. This process is particularly challenging due to environmental variability, cultural diversity, and differing levels of the viticulture and olive sector's development. 

The inherent complexity of soil systems presents a major challenge, as soil conditions are shaped by numerous interacting factors, including topography, climate, biological activity, land use, and crop type. In addition, actors across both regions vary in their perceptions of soil degradation, access and availability to technology and resources, all of which influence how soil problems are perceived and addressed. 

The LG-LL approach to select EXPS and to perform soil diagnosis started with the definition of the concept of EXPS, followed by a co-creation workshop, the preparation of a questionnaire and field visits, in person/on-line meetings to gather information and connect local experience with scientific knowledge to discuss soil sampling strategies. Whenever available, farmers shared relevant information (e.g. crop data, soil mapping and analysis, managing practices) to identify possible causes of soil degradation, while researchers assisted in interpreting data contributing to an accurate diagnosis. 

This co-creation and bottom-up approach will enhance the relevance and involvement in the implementation and evaluation of the proposed solutions at the LG-LL’s 20 EXPS through on-field experimentation, using tailored solutions that reflect each stakeholder’s motivations and specificities.

Ultimately, this approach will strengthen the LG-LL collective capacity to monitor, understand, and restore soil health.