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 in 2024
- 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.
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:
