The vital link between agricultural research, policy, and practical farming was strongly reinforced last week at the impactful conference, “HEALTHY SOIL AS THE FOUNDATION OF CHANGE.” Organized by the Bioeconomy Cluster at the SPU Creative Center in Nitra, the event gathered approximately 140 participants, including farmers, agricultural advisors, researchers, and policymakers, all focused on the critical issue of soil health and sustainable farming.
Bridging the Gap with Digital Platforms
HCC’s colleague, Gina Geală, represented the EU-FarmBook project as a keynote speaker, focusing her intervention on the practical role of digital knowledge platforms. She highlighted how EU-FarmBook is specifically designed to support advisors and farmers in adopting soil-friendly practices.
Gina’s key message emphasized that platforms like EU-FarmBook are essential for connecting these diverse groups, significantly increasing the practical impact of research and innovation in agriculture.
Gina shared her experience: “Seeing soil health ideas come alive in conversations between farmers, advisors, and researchers at Nitra was inspiring – exactly the kind of connections EU-FarmBook is built to support.”
A High-Level Dialogue on the Future of Farming
The conference featured top European experts and addressed crucial topics through a highly engaging format. The Opening Plenary centered on current EU priorities related to soil health, with Gina sharing the stage with prominent figures such as:
Christian Holzleitner (DG CLIMA): Discussing the Carbon Removals and Carbon Farming (CRCF) initiative and fair rewards for farmers.
Ladislav Miko: Offering a political and practical view on regenerative agriculture.
Margarida Ambar (EU CAP Network): Highlighting the importance of innovation in agriculture for improving soil health processes.
Wenzel Lobkowicz: Sharing the on-farm experiences of a pioneer in regenerative grazing.
Following the plenary, participants delved deeper into implementation during Parallel Sessions dedicated to Regenerative Agriculture, Agroforestry, and Innovative Tools in Agriculture.
The “HEALTHY SOIL” conference strongly contributed to spreading awareness about the future of farming, where regenerative practices and robust knowledge sharing—such as that facilitated by the EU-FarmBook platform—are central to achieving sustainable food production across Europe.
EU-FarmBook continues its mission to enhance knowledge exchange across all Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS) actors. You can find out more about our resources at eufarmbook.eu.
