The BENCHMARKS Project hosted a Land Manager-Focused Indicator Workshop at the La Junquera farm in Spain. Tim Schmid, researcher at FiBL (NBSOIL Project partner) participated in the workshop, which aimed to improve the understanding and practical application of soil health indicators, and presented the NBSOIL Academy to the participants. The workshop focused on the development of practical and measurable indicators of soil health in agricultural systems.
Professor Dr Rachel Creamer, Chair of the Soil Biology Group at Wageningen University and coordinator of the BENCHMARKS Project, summed up the aim of the project during the workshop: “How can we measure soil health from different perspectives?
The main objective of the workshop was “to ensure that soil health indicators can be linked to soil management practices and have practical relevance for land managers”. This was underpinned by a theoretical framework for using indicators to assess the sustainability of agricultural systems, with a strong emphasis on soil health.
The scientific publication, developed as part of Mission Soil’s BENCHMARKS project and others, summarises the research carried out on the subject and shared at the workshop. The article How to monitor the ‘success’ of agricultural sustainability: A perspective published in Global Food Security Volume 43 is available for free here.
La Junquera, a lighthouse farm with diversified production (cattle, vines, apples, cereals, legumes, almonds, aromatic plants, pistachios and vegetables), faces unique challenges: low annual rainfall (around 300 mm), often concentrated in short bursts, combined with a soil texture and slope that are highly susceptible to erosion. The farm’s main objective is therefore to improve water regulation by:
- Improving the soil structure to increase infiltration.
- Increasing vegetation cover.
However, assessing success in achieving these objectives requires the selection of appropriate indicators, whether they are target, practice, result or outcome based. Discussions between soil scientists, soil advisors and land managers highlighted the complexity of the issue: a one-size-fits-all approach is not appropriate. For example, an increase in soil organic matter may not be immediately visible due to climatic conditions or crop rotation. The indicator framework helped to identify alternative metrics – such as a reduction in bare soil over the year or improved water infiltration – that can give a clearer picture of progress.
The workshop had a dual purpose: to provide practical training in the use of the indicator framework and to demonstrate its effectiveness. This framework, which is highly relevant to NBSOIL, offers opportunities for collaboration with BENCHMARKS. It could equip the ‘next generation of soil advisors’, as referred to within NBSOIL, with the tools and indicators necessary to effectively address pressing issues of agricultural sustainability.
