Nine Irish farm-based projects are among those selected by SOILCRATES in the first wave of applications for funding.

The funding is designed to support practice-based, locally driven experiments across the EU addressing soil health challenges in agricultural and rural contexts.

The pilots are being implemented across counties Tipperary, Limerick and Clare, addressing topics such as organic living mulches; cover crops; soil fertility enhancement; microbial bio-stimulants; biochar applications; and grassland soil health.

The selected pilots reflect a wide range of soil management approaches, crops and territorial contexts.

SOILCRATES

SOILCRATES is a Horizon Europe project committed to promoting sustainable soil management practices that enhance soil health, biodiversity, and carbon storage, while supporting farmers and land managers in adapting to climate change.

Projects will be implemented within the framework of the four SOILCRATES Living Labs, which are taking place in Ireland, France, Spain, and the Netherlands.

They will be funded under SOILCRATES Financial Support to Third Parties (or FSTP) call for applications.

Financial support ranging from €20,000 to €60,000 will enable the selected pilot projects to test, adapt and monitor soil health practices in real-life conditions over a period of 12 to 24 months.

Throughout the project duration, pilots will benefit from technical support and coordination within their respective Living Labs and will contribute to collective learning and knowledge exchange across regions.

According to SOILCRATES, this first selection round does not represent the full allocation of the €1.6m FSTP budget, as additional selection rounds are foreseen.

The SOILCRATES Ireland Living Lab works directly with farmers in the mid-west, and aims to address Ireland’s unique agricultural and environmental challenges.