24/11/2026, 09:00

Soil-X-Change European Forum on Innovations in Sustainable Soil Management

The Soil-X-Change European Forum on Innovations in Sustainable Soil Management will bring together farmers, advisors, Operational Groups, researchers, policymakers, industry representatives and other Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS) actors to explore how successful soil management innovations can be transferred and scaled across Europe.

Healthy soils are essential for Europe’s food security, climate resilience and biodiversity. Across Europe, numerous innovative solutions have been developed and successfully tested through Operational Groups, Horizon Europe projects and national initiatives. The Forum will focus on how these locally proven solutions can reach more farmers and become part of everyday agricultural practice.

The event will combine policy dialogue, practical experiences, project results, demonstrations and interactive discussions, with a focus on the conditions that enable the wider adoption of sustainable soil management practices.

What to expect

• Discover proven soil management practices from Operational Groups across Europe.
• Exchange experiences with farmers, advisors, researchers and innovation actors.
• Explore the role of AKIS, advisory services and knowledge exchange in supporting innovation uptake.
• Learn about Horizon Europe projects and Mission Soil initiatives.
• Discover digital tools and practical knowledge resources for sustainable soil management.
• Discuss the barriers and opportunities for scaling successful innovations.
• Contribute to recommendations for strengthening European knowledge exchange beyond the lifetime of the Soil-X-Change project.
• Connect with European experts and potential partners through dedicated networking opportunities.

Two-day programme

24 November | Farm Demonstration

Participants can join an optional field demonstration at GRAND FARM, a research and demonstration farm near Vienna.

The visit will provide an opportunity to see sustainable soil management practices in real farming conditions, meet practitioners and explore how research and innovation are integrated into commercial organic farming.

Participants will also learn about earthworm composting, market gardening and agroforestry, as well as practical examples from European Operational Groups and ongoing research on innovative farming practices.

Date: 24 November 2026
Time: 13:00–15:30
Transport: Shared bus transfer from Vienna (departure approximately 12:00; return approximately 16:30, to be confirmed)
Participation: Optional, with limited capacity of 50 participants.

25 November | European Forum at BOKU University

The main Forum programme will address key questions around the transfer and scaling of sustainable soil management innovation, including:

• How do we scale sustainable soil management across Europe?
• What is the role of AKIS in accelerating soil innovation?
• How can advisory services support the adoption of innovation?
• What makes a digital tool useful on the farm?
• What still blocks large-scale adoption?
• How can knowledge generated by European projects continue to create impact after projects end?

The programme will include a high-level policy panel, Operational Group experiences, project presentations, interactive workshops and networking.

High-level policy discussion

How Do We Scale Sustainable Soil Management Across Europe?

The panel will bring together representatives from the European CAP Network, Mission Soil, Austrian AKIS coordination, farmers and Operational Groups to discuss the conditions needed to accelerate the adoption of sustainable soil management.

The discussion will address farmer adoption, advisory services, policy support, funding opportunities, digitalisation, knowledge exchange and pathways for scaling successful innovations.

Networking and exhibition area

Throughout the Forum, participants will have the opportunity to explore:

• Soil-X-Change Dashboard demonstrations
• Practice Abstracts
• Operational Group success stories
• Posters from European projects
• Technology showcases
• Matchmaking and networking opportunities

Join the Forum

Join European stakeholders working to turn successful soil management innovations into practical solutions that can be adopted across Europe.

24–25 November 2026
BOKU University, Vienna, Austria

Register now and save your place: https://event.soil-x-change.eu/