PRESS RELEASE | The Coalition of Action 4 Soil Health (CA4SH) and EIT Food launch Soil Action Hubs at the June Climate Meetings
New decentralised hubs to empower locally led solutions and drive cross-regional peer learning on soil health.
Soil health took centre stage at the June Climate Meetings (SB 62) in Bonn as the Coalition of Action 4 Soil Health (CA4SH), in partnership with EIT Food and CIFOR-ICRAF, launched a pioneering global network of Soil Action Hubs. The Hubs will act as a collection of decentralised platforms designed to accelerate local soil regeneration, investment and innovation. EIT Food is supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union.
The announcement was made on Friday 20th June at a high-level press conference hosted at SB62, where the CA4SH Soil Action Hubs were launched as engines of local action and multi-stakeholder collaboration, helping to coordinate soil health solutions tailored to specific contexts. They aim to strengthen policy coherence, align regional monitoring systems, unlock inclusive investment and build capacity across sectors, with a strong emphasis on youth leadership and innovation.
Globally, more than one-third of the world’s land is degraded, affecting the lives of over 3.2 billion people. Soil health is fundamental not only to agricultural productivity, but also to biodiversity, water security and climate change mitigation and adaptation – making its restoration one of the most powerful nature-based solutions available.
Speakers at the event featured leaders from EIT Food, AICCRA, Conscious Planet-Save Soil, CIFOR-ICRAF (The Centre for International Forestry Research and Agroforesty), IAAS (International Association of Students in Agriculture and related Sciences), Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV) and the World Farmers’ Organisation, who shared insights on cross-sector collaboration, finance mobilisation, grassroots challenges and youth inclusion. For example, the #Youth4Soil Initiative is a grassroots movement to catalyse soil health action by youth, for youth.
The Soil Action Hubs aim to act as collaborative platforms to:
Advance soil health as a cross-cutting solution to address biodiversity loss, land degradation and climate change
Align regional monitoring systems and evidence-based strategies
Unlock inclusive financing and investment
Promote youth and gender inclusion in soil governance and capacity-building
Organisations are now invited to join the CA4SH Soil Action Hubs committed to scaling soil health for people, nature, climate, and food security.
Dr Leigh Ann Winowiecki, Co-Lead of CA4SH and Global Soil and Land Health Lead at CIFOR-ICRAF
“It is exciting to see how the CA4SH network continues to grow! In addition to the new #Youth4Soil movement, the Action Hubs will be bottom-up, dynamic, decentralized structures designed to catalyse locally led implementation of soil health solutions while fostering cross-regional exchange and peer learning.
CA4SH will continue to advocate for healthy soil as a critical climate solution, and we are proud to be a member of the Action on Food Hub at COP30.”
Dr Lucy Wallace, Director of Global Relationships, EIT Food
“At EIT Food, we’re inspired to be partnering with CA4SH towards this crucial initiative to rebuild soil health on a global scale. Healthy soil is the foundation of resilient communities and food systems, and it’s imperative we leverage local leadership and networks to cultivate lasting solutions for our future.
EIT Food are proud to be hosting the European Action Hub. Given nearly a quarter of EU soils are currently experiencing soil degradation – it’s time to ramp up the action.”
Beria Leimona, Theme Leader, Climate change, energy and low-carbon development, CIFOR-ICRAF
“Interventions that begin with soil - restoring organic matter, improving fertility, and enhanced water retention - will be the strong foundation for long-term impact and de-risked investment. It is exciting to see how soil health is finally on the local and global agenda and exciting to see such partner enthusiasm to make sure this hidden gem beneath our feet is no longer overlooked.”
Andrea Porro, Secretary General, World Farmers’ Organisation
“Soil for farmers is not only a means of production, it is the foundation of their agricultural operation, a link with their identity, their community, and their heritage. Farmers, especially women and youth, are impacted by the pressure on soil and land coming from land use competition, climate impact, and land tenure. Investing in soil health is for farmers investing in their future. Creating space for farmers to exchange knowledge and experience such as the CA4SH is more important than ever today.”
Laura Cramer, Thematic Lead, Climate-Smart Agriculture Policies and Priorities International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) at AICCRA
“There is a real opportunity to bring soil evidence to bear through policy efforts, as countries develop their National Soil Health Strategies and report on their Nationally Determined Contributions. Healthy soil can be a key part of the solution for climate change adaptation and mitigation while also helping farmers improve their production and better contribute to national food security.”
Praveena Sridhar, Chief Science and Technology Officer, Conscious Planet- Save Soil
“To truly scale soil health, we need finance that is not only easily accessible but also tailored to realities of the regions where farmers live and work. It’s just as important to make tools practical, bridging the gap between those who generate knowledge and the farmers who put it into action every day.”
Heitor Mancini Teixeira, Professor of Soil Biology, Soil Science Department, Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV)
"Soil health is a key pillar to achieving all the SDGs. To take this seriously, measuring and monitoring soil health cannot be just a scientific exercise: it must be the foundation of real-world action. Monitoring gives us the data that we need to design better policies, to direct investments, and empower farmers and their communities. Let us elevate soil life on the road to COP30. By doing so, we can unlock the solutions that are good for people, for nature, and for the climate."
Helena Van Tichelen, National Director, IAAS Belgium
"Youth faces a future with more extreme weather, where soil health is proven to be a key defense. Rebuilding soil health is a way for youth to preserve their land, culture, and community identity. Youth involvement is not optional, it is essential. Youth bring not only succession, but also innovation, modern approaches, and an energy and need to adapt.”
For more information and interview enquiries, please contact communication@eitfood.eu and coordination@coalitionforsoilhealth.org.
About CA4SH
The main objective of the Coalition of Action 4 Soil Health (CA4SH), launched at the UN Food Systems Summit in 2021, is to improve global soil health by addressing critical implementation, monitoring, policy, and public private investment barriers that constrain farmers from adopting and scaling out healthy soil practices. Since 2021, CA4SH has grown to include over 250 members representing the public and private sectors, research institutions, non-governmental organizations, farmer organizations and cooperatives, individuals, youth-led organizations, and indigenous organizations.
Find out more at https://www.coalitionforsoilhealth.org/ and follow us via social media: LinkedIn, Instagram, and Youtube.
About EIT Food
EIT Food is the world’s largest and most dynamic food innovation community. We accelerate innovation to build a future-fit food system that produces healthy and sustainable food for all.
Supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union, we invest in projects, organisations and individuals that share our goals for a healthy and sustainable food system. We unlock innovation potential in businesses and universities and create and scale agrifood startups to bring new technologies and products to market. We equip entrepreneurs and professionals with the skills needed to transform the food system and put consumers at the heart of our work, helping build trust by reconnecting them to the origins of their food.
We are one of nine innovation communities established by the European Institute for Innovation & Technology (EIT), an independent EU body set up in 2008 to drive innovation and entrepreneurship across Europe.
Find out more at www.eitfood.eu or follow us via social media:
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