From 18 to 21 May 2026, the SOILCRATES consortium gathered in Limerick, Ireland for the project’s 4th General Assembly alongside an Interregional Learning Event bringing together partners, farmers, researchers and stakeholders from across Europe.
Participants from Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain, France, Italy, Greece and Sweden joined the event to exchange experiences, review project progress and strengthen collaboration around sustainable soil management.
A major highlight of the week was the field trip across the Irish Living Lab, where participants visited farms, pilot projects and partner community initiatives across Counties Clare, Limerick and Tipperary. The visits showcased practical approaches to soil health and regenerative agriculture, with discussions focusing on reduced tillage, biochar, soil microbiology, composting, multispecies crops, marine-based soil enhancers, microbial biostimulants and grassland fertility. Participants also explored innovative approaches such as Korean Natural Farming techniques and community-supported farming models.
The General Assembly sessions, hosted by Technological University of the Shannon, focused on reviewing project progress and strengthening collaboration across the SOILCRATES work packages and Living Labs. Workshops and discussions covered stakeholder engagement, soil health indicators, data management, ethics in Living Labs, collaboration with policy makers, communication activities and the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital tools in sustainable soil management.
The event reinforced the importance of collaboration between farmers, researchers, communities and public authorities in addressing soil health challenges across Europe.
Read the full press release here.
