Co-creating soil health solutions for apple orchards in the Grójec Living Lab
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.
Healthy Soil to Permanent Crops Living Labs
Ongoing | 2024-2028
- Main funding source
- Horizon Europe (EU Research and Innovation Programme)
- Geographical location
- Portugal, France, Italy, Poland, Spain, Belgium