Investing in soil health can become an economic opportunity for European agriculture

BRUXELLES, BELGIUM, November 10, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Investing in soil health can generate long-term economic benefits and help make agriculture more resilient to climate change. A pilot project in Switzerland involving 55 farms shows that farmers can be financially rewarded for protecting soils: participants received approximately CHF 1.6 million in total for the carbon stored in agricultural soils. However, this experience shows that scaling up such initiatives across Europe requires predictable funding and support mechanisms tailored to farmers' needs.

These findings were presented at the international conference “Advancing soil health across Europe: Business models, incentives and policy pathways for a sustainable transition”, held on 28 October 2026, in Brussels, and organized by the European InBestSoil project in partnership with SoilValues. The event brought together representatives of European institutions, researchers, farmers and business representatives to discuss the results of both projects and identify solutions to improve soil health across Europe.

The discussions highlighted three key priorities: developing viable business models for sustainable soil management, identifying predictable financing mechanisms, and creating the conditions needed to scale up solutions tested at local level.

“Soil health must be viewed beyond its environmental dimension. Healthy soils support agricultural productivity, contribute to resilience against climate change, and provide ecosystem services with economic and social value. This value needs to be recognized and integrated into business models and financing mechanisms, so that investments in soil health become a sustainable and attractive decision for farmers and other economic stakeholders,” said Andrés Rodríguez Seijo, researcher at the University of Vigo and coordinator of the InBestSoil project.

Business models and financing tailored to local realities

Valentina Cristiana Materia, Associate Professor at Wageningen University & Research, highlighted the importance of adapting soil health business models to local contexts: “One formula does not fit all. We need to think at the context level. Sometimes failure needs to be considered as part of our journey, and definitely not an end, but a way to start moving forward.”

André Jurrius of Ekoboerderij de Lingehof / Lekker Lupine underlined the importance of creating market opportunities for farmers: “Farmers need viable markets and added value for sustainable and regenerative products.”

The nine case studies in the InBestSoil project showed that the value of healthy soils should be assessed not only in terms of profitability, but also through their environmental, social, and cultural benefits. Practices such as crop diversification, regenerative agriculture, and compost application can improve soil health. However, adoption depends on viable markets, financial support, and collaboration among farmers, businesses, and public authorities.

A major challenge is the gap between often substantial upfront investments and the economic benefits that materialize over the long term. The joint recommendations developed by InBestSoil and SoilValues highlight the need to combine public funding with private investment, introduce risk-sharing mechanisms, and develop incentives adapted to regional conditions.

Participants also emphasized the value of combining payments for adopting sustainable agricultural practices with those linked to measurable outcomes, such as carbon sequestration or reduced soil erosion. This approach can make funding more accessible, particularly for smaller farms, where monitoring can be costly.

Concrete results: CHF 1.6 million for carbon stored in soil

One of the most relevant examples presented was the InBestSoil Swiss case study, which analyzed data from approximately 2,700 farms and 300,000 agricultural plots. The research showed that more intensive soil management can be economically advantageous in the short term, even when it contributes to soil degradation, highlighting the need for incentives that reward long-term benefits. In Switzerland, a carbon farming pilot involving 55 farms and covering approximately 1,100 hectares paid farmers CHF 100 for every tonne of carbon stored. During its first three years, the project exceeded initial estimates, with payments reaching about CHF 1.6 million through a regional bank.

However, the experience also highlighted challenges such as monitoring costs, variations in carbon measurements, and uncertainties regarding the permanence of stored carbon. These findings point to the need for more efficient assessment tools, including remote sensing technologies.

Crucial to scaling up solutions across Europe

The SoilValues project, based on collaboration with stakeholder networks in six European countries, showed that scaling up business models depends on regulatory predictability, policy coordination, access to funding and knowledge, and stronger local networks. Moët Hennessy provided a private-sector example: it works with approximately 1,600 wine-growing families and has supported sustainability certification for around 70% of its suppliers in Champagne, including through financial incentives.

During the second session, “Financing the Transition: Incentives and Investments for Soil Health,” Caterina Guidi from the CMCC Foundation presented joint policy recommendations developed by InBestSoil and SoilValues. She highlighted the need to combine public and private financing, develop locally adapted incentives, ensure long-term support, and use monitoring approaches that remain practical for farmers and land managers.

“Success means more than uptake. The transition should not be measured simply by how many actors adopt a new practice or incentive. Success also depends on whether these approaches effectively improve soil health, remain feasible for those implementing them, and are economically and institutionally sustainable over time,” said Caterina Guidi.

At the European level, participants highlighted the EU Soil Monitoring Law's role in establishing a common assessment framework, with indicators and monitoring methods that can be compared across Member States. Discussions also addressed the future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the role of public and private investment, and the need for coherent policy frameworks that support the wider adoption of sustainable soil management practices. Participants emphasized that public policies should not only establish environmental objectives but also create the economic and institutional conditions that make sustainable soil management viable in the long term. This requires better coordination between agricultural, environmental, climate, and financial policies.

Christian Grovermann of FiBL stressed the need to make policy incentives more targeted: “Since resources are limited, policy incentives should be better targeted towards soils facing the greatest degradation risks, while benchmarking can help farmers understand their progress.”

“Models and tools that can support the transition towards healthier soils already exist. The challenge is to create the right conditions for long-term adoption: accessible financing, coherent policies, relevant data, and collaboration between farmers, researchers, businesses, and public authorities. Scaling up solutions also requires investment in local networks, knowledge transfer, and trust among the stakeholders involved,” added Andrés Rodríguez Seijo.

The conference conclusions show that soil health needs to be integrated into economic and public policy decision-making. Mobilizing public and private capital, developing fair incentive mechanisms and strengthening collaboration among stakeholders are essential to translating research findings into lasting changes across European agriculture.

June Communications
InBestSoil
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