Soil-Crop Systems

Soil health challenge

The Italian Living Lab (IT-LL) runs across the Pò Valley from the Alpine zone to the Adriatic Sea. It develops co-created solutions to combat soil degradation, with a focus on soil health. The aim is to preserve key soil functions by reducing the high anthropogenic pressure toward intensive farming systems and enhancing the natural regeneration of soil ecosystems. Among the many challenges, the intensive agricultural practices in the area — including deep tillage, excessive fertilizer application, and heavy pesticide use — pose significant threats to soil conservation. These practices hinder efforts to increase soil organic carbon stocks, reduce soil pollution, enhance restoration, prevent erosion, and improve soil support for crop production. Due to the heterogeneous pedoclimatic conditions, the magnitude and nature of these challenges vary significantly across the study region.