The NBSOIL Project team convened in the Italian city of Torino for the 4th consortium meeting, hosted at Campus Luigi Einaudi by the Università degli Studi di Torino. Over three days, between 10 and 12 June 2025, the project partners engaged in discussions, field visits, and collaborative sessions—sharing progress, exchanging ideas, and strengthening their shared commitment to healthier soils.
The meeting began with general updates from across the consortium, followed by presentations from the project’s demo sites and a deep dive into the NBSOIL Academy—the project’s flagship blended training programme for soil advisors. As the heart of the project, the Academy is gaining momentum, equipping advisors across Europe with the tools and knowledge needed to promote sustainable soil management.
The partners’ meeting also provided a perfect opportunity to update each other on the latest developments in tools and resources within the consortium, such as the Soil Advisors Interactive Map, the NBSOIL GIS Tool, and the Policy Navigator. As the NBSOIL Project enters its final year in 2025, discussions on refining and exploiting these tools—and their integration with the Academy—took centre stage.
Field Visit to Rice and Hazelnut Production Sites
On the second day, the consortium headed into the field, visiting key agricultural landscapes in the Piemonte region to witness first-hand the strategies local farmers are using to improve soil health. The group toured organic rice paddies at Cascina Casiola Vecchia in Crescentino, where Paolo Mario Mosca shared the history of his family farm and explained the innovative practices they apply—such as double cover cropping—to improve soil quality and crop resilience.
In the scenic Monferrato hills, partners explored hazelnut orchards—part of the LivingSoiLL Project and a core test site within the North-Western Italy – Piemonte Living Lab. The Living Lab, led by Eleonora Bonifacio from the University of Torino, focuses on permanent crops such as hazelnuts, vineyards, and chestnuts, and is investigating practical, locally adapted strategies to prevent soil erosion and promote sustainable soil management. Seeing these approaches in action offered a valuable opportunity to reflect on how nature-based solutions can be scaled across diverse European landscapes.
The group also had the chance to sample some of the region’s delights, enjoying a taste of organic Barbera di Monferrato and learning how shifts in global demand (such as the so-called “peak Nutella”) are influencing local land use and crop choices.
As the meeting concluded, the team reflected on completed tasks, mapped out the next steps, and reaffirmed their commitment to supporting soil advisors and farmers across Europe in adopting sustainable, soil-friendly practices. With renewed energy and strengthened connections, the NBSOIL Project team is ready to continue working together—ensuring healthier soils for a more sustainable future.
