CBMA Promotes Soil Health Monitoring Strategy

On 20 February, experts, policymakers, and institutions will gather in Braga to discuss the challenges of establishing a national soil health monitoring system in preparation for the EU Soil Monitoring and Resilience Directive, expected to take effect in 2025.

The workshop, “National Soil Health Monitoring Strategy – Contributions from the Scientific Community”, will take place at the University of Minho’s Gualtar Campus. It is organised by the CBMA – Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology (UMinho), the Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo, and the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), with support from the Portuguese Soil Partnership, the University of Coimbra, and the Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development.

The event builds on discussions from October 2024 in Évora, where 80 representatives from soil research projects explored solutions for soil health. It also supports the launch of the National Soil Observatory, which aims to become Portugal’s leading reference for soil data.

By bringing together scientists, policymakers, and stakeholders, this workshop will help shape Portugal’s approach to soil monitoring, ensuring alignment with future EU regulations.