Successful SmartSOIL Project Final Conference

The SmartSOIL project final conference took place on 30th September 2015 at the Halles des Tanneurs in Brussels. Around 100 participants representing policy-makers, farmer unions and advisory organisations, researchers, NGOs, Member States and regional authorities, researchers and farmers attended the day-long event.

Farmer from Denmark, Bjarne Hansen is interviewed by Peter Woodward. Click on photo to enlarge

The conference presented the results of the SmartSOIL project and offered a forum to discuss the implications and opportunities for policy and practitioners.  In the morning session Pete Smith from the University of Aberdeen set the global context for soil carbon management and Jørgen E. Olesen, the project co-ordinator, from Aarhus University introduced 7 key principles of effective soil organic carbon management and highlighted the key messages on the impact of soil management practices on crop productivity, soil organic C stocks and other ecosystem services.  The SmartSOIL decision support toolbox, developed to help advisers and farmers identify cost effective management options to optimise crop yields and soil carbon for their particular farming systems, soils and climates, was also introduced and demonstrated. The afternoon sessions considered the economic benefits for farmers of soil carbon management, followed by a participatory discussion on SmartSOIL policy recommendations, including innovative approaches and policy options for promoting beneficial management practices.

The conference leaflet can be downloaded here

All presentations from the day are available here

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