InBestSoil and BIOservicES Represented Europe at One of the World's Most Important Soil Science Congresses

Once Every Four Years, the World Shapes the Future of Soil Health

VIGO, SPAIN, July 16, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The European projects InBestSoil and BIOservicES, funded under the European Union's Horizon Europe programme and contributing to the EU Mission "A Soil Deal for Europe", participated in the 23rd World Congress of Soil Science (WCSS), held in Nanjing, China, in June 2026. Bringing together more than 3,000 researchers, experts and policymakers from around the world, the congress provided both projects with an opportunity to present their latest scientific findings, strengthen international collaborations and contribute to the global dialogue on protecting and restoring soil health at a time when soil degradation remains one of the world's most pressing environmental and agricultural challenges.

Held every four years, the World Congress of Soil Science is one of the world's leading scientific events dedicated to soil research. At this year's edition, InBestSoil and BIOservicES showcased two complementary perspectives on the same global challenge: understanding the mechanisms that sustain healthy soils and developing practical tools to translate scientific knowledge into actionable solutions for farmers, land managers, and policymakers.
For InBestSoil, participation focused on presenting the project's latest progress, strengthening international collaboration, and validating its methodologies together with the global scientific community. The project was represented through two scientific posters featuring case studies from Spain that examined the impact of agricultural management practices on soil carbon storage and microbial biodiversity, as well as ecosystem restoration processes in former mining areas. The findings on rotational grazing management attracted particular interest among participants, offering new insights into carbon retention in Mediterranean ecosystems.

"Participating in the World Congress of Soil Science was a valuable opportunity to share InBestSoil's progress with the international community while learning from other initiatives addressing similar challenges. Soil degradation, climate change and biodiversity loss know no borders, and meaningful progress depends on collaboration between researchers, policymakers and land managers. By developing harmonised methods for assessing ecosystem services, economic models that reward sustainable practices, and evidence-based policy tools, InBestSoil directly contributes to the objectives of the EU Mission 'A Soil Deal for Europe'. Healthy soils are the foundation of resilient agriculture, biodiversity conservation, and long-term societal well-being," said Andrés Rodríguez Seijo, Coordinator and Researcher of the InBestSoil project.

Beyond increasing the project's international visibility, participation in the congress also helped achieve InBestSoil's dissemination objectives. The event exceeded the project's impact indicator of 10,000 cumulative participants attending external events. The project team also established new connections with researchers and policymakers outside the European Union and identified best practices in soil monitoring, digital technologies and harmonised research methodologies, which will be incorporated into the project's final activities.

At the same time, BIOservicES contributed to the congress through a series of scientific presentations covering soil physico-chemical analyses, greenhouse gas emissions, and soil biodiversity across different European regions and land-use systems. Researchers presented findings from the project's experimental site network, highlighting how biodiversity influences ecosystem functioning and the ecosystem services provided by soils.

The presentations sparked discussions on regional differences across Europe, methodologies for measuring soil greenhouse gas emissions, and the identification of biological indicators for assessing ecosystem services. Participation also facilitated knowledge exchange with researchers worldwide and opened new opportunities for future international research collaborations.

"Participating in the World Congress of Soil Science provided BIOservicES with an excellent opportunity to present the project's progress, exchange knowledge with international experts, and strengthen collaboration within the global soil research community. Through its activities, BIOservicES advances our understanding of the relationships among soil health, biodiversity, and ecosystem services while developing knowledge and tools that support evidence-based policymaking and sustainable land management. The project's outcomes contribute directly to the objectives of the EU Mission 'A Soil Deal for Europe' and help build more resilient and sustainable ecosystems across Europe", said Raúl Zornoza, Coordinator of the BIOservicES project.

Although they approach soil health from different scientific perspectives, InBestSoil and BIOservicES demonstrate that effective solutions emerge when fundamental research and implementation tools evolve together. BIOservicES generates new knowledge on the relationships between biodiversity, ecosystem functioning and soil ecosystem services. At the same time, InBestSoil develops methods to assess these benefits, integrate them into economic models, and translate them into public policies and incentive mechanisms that promote sustainable land management practices.

Over the coming months, both projects will continue analysing research data and developing recommendations for European policymakers, contributing to the transition towards more resilient agricultural systems and supporting the implementation of the objectives of the EU Mission "A Soil Deal for Europe."

About InBestSoil
InBestSoil is a Horizon Europe project funded by the European Union that aims to transform the way soil health is understood and valued. The project develops an economic assessment framework for the ecosystem services provided by healthy soils and integrates it into business models and investment incentive mechanisms. By developing practical tools, methodologies, and scientific evidence, InBestSoil supports public authorities, businesses, and land managers in making informed decisions that contribute to soil conservation and restoration. The project brings together 19 partners from 10 European countries and contributes to implementing the EU Mission "A Soil Deal for Europe." More information is available at www.inbestsoil.eu.

About BIOservicES
BIOservicES is a Horizon Europe project funded by the European Union that investigates the relationships between soil biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, and the ecosystem services they provide. The project develops new indicators, digital tools, and decision-support models to foster climate-resilient land management practices. Through collaborative research with partners across Europe, BIOservicES supports evidence-based policymaking and advances the objectives of the EU Mission "A Soil Deal for Europe" by promoting the protection and restoration of soil health. More information is available at www.bioservices-project.eu.

June Communications
June Communications
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