National Engagement Event on the EU Soil Mission - Belgium
A Soil Deal for Europe: towards the creation of
100 living labs and lighthouses
Funding opportunities and key aspects of Living Lab creation
- Date: 23rd March 2023
- Time: 14:00 – 17:00 CET Participants will be welcomed starting at 13:30 for a welcome coffee
- Rue de Louvain/Leuvenseweg 38, 1000 Brussels, Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO) – Hoek 38, Auditorium
In the framework of the Horizon Europe Programme for Research and Innovation (2021-2027), the European Commission launched the Mission 'A Soil Deal for Europe' aiming to establish and fund 100 living labs and lighthouses to drive the transition to healthy soils by 2030.
The NATI00NS project, funded by the Horizon Europe programme, is running national engagement events across Europe to promote the EU Mission "A Soil Deal for Europe" in national and regional contexts by providing access to quality materials and information, and stimulating discussions on the Living Lab (LL) set-ups to address specific soil needs in different local contexts. Ultimately, the aim is to support regional and national authorities and organisations to apply for the European Commission's calls for proposals on "Living Labs for Soil Health".
ENoLL – the European Network of Living Labs, in the framework of the NATI00NS project together with Agrolink Flanders, the Flemish Department of Economy, Science & Innovation, NCP Flanders (Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship - VLAIO) and Research Foundation Flanders (FWO), and Walloon Agricultural Research Centre are organizing the National Engagement Event in Belgium that will take place on the 23rd of March from 14:00 to 17:00 CET at the Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO) – Hoek 38, with the possibility of online connection. Participants will be welcomed starting at 13:30 CET for a welcome coffee.
During the event, we’ll explore the value of soil and the challenges for soil restoration in Belgium. Our experts will introduce the concept of 'Living Labs' (LL) and 'Lighthouses' focusing on soil health, as foreseen in the Mission's implementation plan. The sessions are designed to engage participants from all sectors and illustrate the benefits of engaging in Mission activities.
This event is open to any interested party such as researchers, farmers, foresters and representatives of their professional associations, land managers and landowners, spatial planners, food and bioeconomy companies, consumer associations, local communities, educators, cultural and creative industries, citizens, civil society organizations, NGOs, and Belgian government representatives.
The Soil Mission is a great opportunity for all Belgian entities engaged in or willing to contribute to the transition to healthy soils to maximise their actions and achieve their full potential.
Agenda
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 13:30 – 14:00 | Welcome coffee |
| 14:00 – 14:05 | Welcome - Ann Van Hauwaert, Coordinator NCP Flanders |
| 14:05 – 14:30 | Introduction and The EU Mission – Giulia Campodonico, Head of Projects, European Network of Living Labs (ENoLL) |
| 14:30 – 14:45 | Q&A |
| 14:45 – 15:15 | National Soil Challenges and Opportunities: Greet Ruysschaert, Sr. Researcher Sustainable Soil Management, Flanders Institute for Agricultural, Fisheries and Food Research (ILVO), & Didier Stilmant, Head of Department at Walloon Agricultural Research Centre |
| 15:15 – 15:30 | Soil Health Living Labs and Lighthouses and Thematic focus of the 2023 Living Lab calls – Giulia Campodonico (ENoLL) |
| 15:30 – 15:45 | Q&A |
| 15:45 – 16:30 | Engagement session – Isabelle Couture & Dolinda Cavallo (ENoLL) |
| 16:30 – 16:40 | Conclusion (ENoLL and Guests) |
| 16:40 – 17:00 | Light snacks & networking |
Organisers
