Life on Earth depends on healthy soil: it is the basis of 95% of our food. If soils are healthy, they provide essential ecosystem services such as clean water and flourishing habitats for biodiversity.
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Estonian soilHUB
Soils are major carbon reservoirs, which help slow the onset of climate change while making us more resilient to extreme climatic events. They are a vital part of the landscapes we all cherish and are the basis of our economy and prosperity.
Healthy soils are at the heart of the Green Deal and its ambitions for a green, fair, and just Europe. Although we take it for granted, soil is a fragile, non-renewable resource in our lifetime that needs to be carefully managed and safeguarded for future generations.
One centimetre of soil can take hundreds of years to form but can be lost in just a single rainstorm or industrial incident. Moreover, soils are threatened all over Europe and globally because of the results of a range of human activities (e.g., competition for land, intensive land use, production, consumption patterns, and urbanization) accelerated by climate change.
(source: A Soil Deal for Europe).
A Soil Deal for Europe
It is one of five EU missions launched by the European Commission on 29 September 2021 to find solutions to society's biggest challenges. The main goal of the Mission 'A Soil Deal for Europe' is to establish 100 living labs and lighthouses to lead the transition towards healthy soils by 2030.
The soil network SoilHUB Estonia (mullaHUB)
Estonian SoilHub focuses on bringing together the different actors involved in soil and land use – researchers, producers, experts, policymakers, and other stakeholders. It is essential to bring together the creators of knowledge and its primary users, the producers. The inclusion of the legislative bodies is necessary because the policy framework must support progress towards healthy soils.
MullaHUB aims to facilitate cooperation for successful participation in international projects, organize community engagement events, and share knowledge with different target groups.
MullaHUB meetings
- Presenting the MissionSoil outline and opportunities
- Mapping of ongoing activities and capacities
- Identifying issues of importance for Estonia
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Presentation of the topics of 2024 call for proposals
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Discussion of potential consortiums
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Planning community engagement events
Students from Räpina School of Horticulture presented their activities and plans for the autumn:
Praktiline infopäev: Milleks üldse mullatervis? Kestlikud võtted aianduses.
- Soil education in different levels and forms and for different target groups
- Urban soils - mapping the state of play and knowledge
- Urban gardening, community gardens - insight from an urban gardener
Focus: the needs and expectations of agricultural producers, collaboration opportunities with researchers, and an introduction to the 2025 Horizon Europe Work Programme.
- Discussion on the 2025 SoilHub work plan
- Horizon Europe Mission Soil funding opportunities
- Developments of the EU Soil Monitoring Directive, the Estonian Land and Soil Use R&D project
- Key takeaways from the Northern Roots 2025 conference
- Focus on promoting soil awareness through engaging outreach activities
- Estonia's participation in the 2025 Mission Soil call
- Recently completed soil-related theses
- Upcoming summer activities and collaborations
Overview of ongoing soil-related projects and events, presentation of METK's renewed fertiliser recommendation service, introduction of the Estonian Soil Cooperation Centre, and welcome to new PhD students working on soil topics.
Instead of the regular SoilHub meeting, participants gathered at the Sustainable Soil and Land Use Conference, bringing together researchers, policymakers and practitioners to discuss sustainable soil management.
16th Soil Day – "Estonian Soil is Estonia's Heart", showcasing the latest soil science research and practical solutions for sustainable soil management.
Introduction of new European soil initiatives, including the Soil Innovation Partnership (SIP) and the Aggregate Network, together with an overview of the 2026 SoilHub priorities and activities.
Planned SoilHub meeting focusing on the activities of the Estonian Soil Cooperation Centre, progress in national soil data mapping, and updates from ongoing national and European soil projects.
MullaHUB activities 2024
Maamess - the international agriculture, forestry, gardening and food expo.
METK Field Day
Opinion Festival 2024 – a soil themed debate "When will we starve to death".
"Soil Dialogue – 5 questions for a producer, researcher, and government official"
The 69th World Ploughing Championship 2024 were held in Tartu, Estonia
Who has attended the meetings?
Eesti Mullateaduse Selts, Eesti Maaülikool, Maaelu Teadmuskeskus, Tartu Ülikool, Tallinna Ülikool, Tallinna Tehnikaülikool, Räpina Aianduskool, Regionaal- ja Põllumajandusministeerium,, Kliimaministeerium, Keskkonnaagentuur, Eesti Põllumajandus-Kaubanduskoda, KEVILI, MTÜ Northern Roots, etc.
MullaHUB's meetings are public and open to all!
If you want to get involved in SoilHUB's meetings or anything related, get in contact:
