Soil plays a central role in most aspects of human societies, and there is a large body of literature about sustainable soil management. Nevertheless, soil is currently facing degradation arising from different threats, which undermines sustainable development globally. In order to design effective research and policy strategies, it is necessary to identify the current knowledge level about sustainable soil management. This study summarises the key findings from a systematic stocktake of available knowledge about agricultural soil management practices in 23 European countries, which included the identification of soil management practices in use, the associated impacts and the soil challenges addressed. The aim of the study was to understand the current state of knowledge about the impacts of soil management practices, investigated and/or implemented across Europe. The results were analysed at the European level and were also grouped into European Regions and Environmental Zones. Key findings from this study were the identification of knowledge gaps that are key to climate mitigation and adaptation. There is a knowledge gap about soil management practices to avoid greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural soils, as the few reported studies evidence the complexity of the processes governing these emissions. Further knowledge is needed on the impact of tillage practices on long\uffe2\uff80\uff90term carbon storage and distribution along the soil profile, as the reported knowledge was not consensual about carbon storage in deeper soil layers.Sustainable agricultural soil management practices are key to restore, maintain and improve soil health. The European Joint Programme for SOIL (EJP SOIL) has identified twelve main soil challenges in Europe. To assess the potential and eventually increase the adoption of soil\uffe2\uff80\uff90improving management practices, it is necessary to know (i) the current levels of adoption of the practices, (ii) socio\uffe2\uff80\uff90technical barriers influencing their adoption, and (iii) their bio\uffe2\uff80\uff90physical limits. This study compiled an inventory of soil\uffe2\uff80\uff90improving management practices relevant to European conditions, and used a survey among soil scientists to assess the levels of adoption of these practices in Europe. In total, 53 soil management practices were identified that address one or several of the soil challenges. The adoption of most practices was low or spatially heterogeneous across Europe, highlighting region\uffe2\uff80\uff90specific limitations to sustainable soil management. Qualitative interviews were conducted to explore the importance of socio\uffe2\uff80\uff90technical aspects of adoption. Using conservation agriculture as an example, factors that can hinder adoption included the availability of knowledge and adequate machinery, financial risks, and farming traditions. Through a modelling approach, 54% of arable land in Europe was found to be suitable for cover cropping, indicating that the adoption of soil management practices is frequently limited by climatic constraints. We propose a region\uffe2\uff80\uff90specific approach that recognizes the importance of identifying and overcoming socio\uffe2\uff80\uff90technical barriers, and by acknowledging bio\uffe2\uff80\uff90physical limits that may be expanded by innovation.Agricultural intensification negatively affects the environment through soil degradation, loss of agrobiodiversity, greenhouse gas emissions, and nutrient leaching. Thus, the introduction of crop diversification strategies and alternative management practices is crucial to re-design agricultural intensification systems. To better understand the contribution of crop diversification to more sustainable agricultural systems, an accurate evaluation of synergies and trade-offs is needed. In this context, the 5-year Horizon 2020 DIVERFARMING project aims to define sustainable, diversified cropping systems with low-input farming practices, adopting a multi-disciplinary approach. The overall objective of this study was to improve the understanding of the stakeholders\uffe2\uff80\uff99 perceptions of barriers and opportunities for implementing farming practices and crop diversification strategies in intensive rainfed and irrigated cereal-based cropping systems in Italy. Fifty stakeholders, grouped in farmers and technical agricultural advisors, field technical officers from public agricultural administrations, technical experts from NGOs with experience on farming practices, and researchers in agriculture, were engaged by public consultations to capture their practical knowledge of current farming practices for promoting suitable diversified cropping system, as alternative to agricultural intensification systems. The analysis of the stakeholders\uffe2\uff80\uff99 perceptions of barriers and opportunities to the transition of cropping systems towards diversification was done using a multi-criteria decision analysis The most important agro-environmental problem identified by the stakeholders in both the cropping systems was the loss of profitability, associated with the risk of farm abandonment, while minimum tillage, maintenance of vegetation covers, application of organic matter/manure and use of green manure, integrated pest management, and change of rotations were identified as the most adequate and effective practices to be adopted in the case study areas. Crop rotation and legumes were the most adequate diversification strategies selected for the intensive rainfed cereal-based cropping systems, while crop rotations with processing tomato and multiple cropping with short cycle maize and wheat were selected as the most appropriate alternatives for irrigated cereal-based production. Our findings highlight relevant strengths and drawbacks for the implementation of diversified cropping systems under low-input agricultural practices. An important strength is that the crop alternatives selected for the diversification are already cultivated as monocultures and are adapted to the local pedoclimatic conditions, while a major weakness is that few farmers are experts in crop diversification. These results can provide insights to support the planning of agricultural policies at different levels.
", "keywords": ["low-input agricultural practices", "12. Responsible consumption", "Low-input agricultural practices", "Soil challenges", "crop rotation", "Crop rotation", "Multi-criteria decision process", "11. Sustainability", "Multiple cropping", "intercropping", "", "GE1-350", "survey", "Survey", "multi-criteria decision process", "2. Zero hunger", "Stakolder perception", "04 agricultural and veterinary sciences", "15. Life on land", "soil challenges", "Environmental sciences", "multiple cropping", "Intercropping", "13. Climate action", "0401 agriculture", " forestry", " and fisheries", "stakeholder perception", "intercropping"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2022.861225"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Frontiers%20in%20Environmental%20Science", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.3389/fenvs.2022.861225", "name": "item", "description": "10.3389/fenvs.2022.861225", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.3389/fenvs.2022.861225"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2022-07-14T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10261/406605", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-06-26T16:28:22Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2025-10-20", "title": "Stakeholders' Perspectives on the Current State and Transition to Sustainable Soil Management Across Europe", "description": "ABSTRACTImplementing sustainable soil management practices to enhance soil health is a priority in research and policymaking across Europe. There is a need to identify the main soil challenges faced by different European stakeholders and the critical threats limiting the adoption of sustainable management of agricultural soils. The present study analyses stakeholders' perspectives on key soil challenges, knowledge gaps, and priorities for agricultural soil research across partner countries that participated in the European Joint Programme on Soil (EJP SOIL) 2020\uffe2\uff80\uff932025. Two complementary stakeholder activities\uffe2\uff80\uff94a survey and a workshop\uffe2\uff80\uff94were conducted across 24 partner countries (divided into four regions: Central, Northern, Southern, and Western Europe) of the EJP SOIL consortium in 2024. Among 10 pre\uffe2\uff80\uff90identified soil challenges, the findings highlight that maintaining or increasing soil organic carbon, avoiding soil sealing, and avoiding soil erosion are the top three priorities across Europe. However, the perceived prioritisation of soil challenges differed both between and within regions, reflecting each country's specific soil health context. Divergences in perceptions between practitioners and other stakeholder groups underscore the need to develop actions aimed at better understanding the rationale behind such discrepancies and how to overcome them. In addition, other key challenges for achieving sustainable soil management across Europe include limited funding, policy incoherencies, poor knowledge dissemination and co\uffe2\uff80\uff90creation, and insufficient soil monitoring. Environmental factors influencing soil health, including climate change, together with governance and economic models, were perceived to be critical limitations to the adoption of sustainable management of agricultural soils. This study also emphasises the need for a diversity of engagement methods, policies, and system approaches to support a transition towards sustainable soil management. These findings underscore the need for future research agendas that focus on integrated knowledge and participatory approaches, and strategies involving societal awareness and policy alignment\uffe2\uff80\uff94key elements that have also informed broader strategies involving societal awareness and engagement towards sustainable soil management in Europe.