Living Lab Network Discussed the Role of Soil Health Factors and Indicators in Finland

On the 29th January 2025 DeliSoil’s Living Lab meeting was held in Säkylä, Finland. The co-creation event with accompanying workshop entitled “Solutions for processing and recycling food industry side streams to improve the soil health” was attended by researchers, food and circular economy industry representatives, farmers and stakeholders to discuss how to get innovative soil improvers to field testing next growing season.

Development manager Sauli Jaakkola from Pyhäjärvi Institute was the chair of the event. The programme started with presentations and discussions by Pyhäjärvi Institute on organizing the Living Lab for soil health activities, and by Luke, Natural Resource Institute Finland, on the field testing results of the processed side stream products at the Lighthouse Biopaja last summer in Jokioinen. In addition, the researchers from Finnish Food Authority, Ruokavirasto, presented the results of the surveys on the challenges and opportunities of recycled fertilizers.

Representatives from biobased and circular economy told about the available products of soil improvers and recycled fertilizers to improve soil health on farms. In addition to this we heard about the launched public trading platform on the biobased side streams for both industry and customers such as farmers.

During the workshop three groups discussed the Mission Soil Health’s soil functions and voted on the three most important ones. As a result, primary production such as water retention and nutrient cycling were summarized as the most important actors among the Living lab group network for two of the three groups.

The promotion of the habitats for soil organisms was slightly divided on its priority but was voted for the fourth important function. Groups also discussed factors that are the most important indicators for field testing. Those with voice were:

1. Analyses of the hazardous substances and pests of the spread products
2. Yields (quality, quantity)
3. Biodiversity of soil organisms (e.g. earthworms, microbial mass, mycorrhizal mycelium mass)

Living Lab actions will continue discussions with farmers and setting up field experiments of the processed side stream products. The next Living Lab co-creation event is arranged as a field demo at the experimental farm this summer, 2025.