Predicting the future of soil health with AI

Predicting the future of soil health with AI

Part of the “Envisioning the future of soil health monitoring” series for AI4SoilHealth, hosted by Soil Association.

What role can AI play in assessing soil degradation, mapping vulnerabilities, and identifying the drivers of soil health decline? Can machine learning and process-based models provide reliable insights into Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) dynamics? And how can indicator frameworks be integrated into modelling projects to strengthen our ability to track and safeguard soil health?

Sign up to this free webinar to join leading experts to discuss these topics and learn more about the future of soil science.

In this webinar we are joined by AI 4 Soil Health project partners and a member of the European Commission to discuss AI, modelling and soil health indicator frameworks. The panel will discuss what these methods mean for the future of soil health, explore challenges and opportunities, and share lessons learned from applying models across Europe.

We are joined by:

• Prof. David Robinson, Principal Research Scientist, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH)

• Dr. Emanuele Lugato, Project-Scientific Officer, European Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC)

• Dr. Mehdi Afshar, Research Associate, Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH)

What to Expect?

• Join AI 4 Soil Health Project leaders David Robinson, UKCEH, and Mehdi Afshar, TUHH. David will introduce a range of indicator frameworks, questioning how the framing of key terms such as ‘quality’ and ‘soil health’ can influence choices in monitoring and modelling projects. Mehdi will share insights from current research into using predictive modelling for mapping soil vulnerability to degradation across Europe.
• Hear from Emanuele Lugato, European Commission’s JRC, about lessons learned in predicting Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) with artificial intelligence and process-based models. He will describe some concrete published studies, the issues encountered, and the pros and cons of the different methodologies.

• Ask your questions to David, Emanuele and Mehdi through a live Q&A.

This webinar series for AI 4 Soil Health explores how AI, open data and new research is transforming soil health monitoring and management across Europe.

Find out more about the AI 4 Soil Health project: https://ai4soilhealth.eu/about

What is the relevance of soil monitoring and soil health predictive models for farmers, researchers and policy makers?

The EU "Soil Monitoring and Resilience Directive", agreed in April 2025, is the first of its kind to set legal standards for assessing and improving soil health across member states. Its goal is for all EU soils to reach a healthy condition by 2050, supporting broader environmental targets like the European Green Deal.

But why is soil monitoring making its way up the agenda?

• Across the EU and UK, significant areas of soil are under pressure – everything from compaction to loss of organic matter – and the effects aren’t always visible until productivity declines or flooding worsens.
• Soil biology, encompassing microorganisms like bacteria and fungi, is fundamental to nutrient cycling, organic matter decomposition, and overall soil fertility.
• Robust soil health data, derived from consistent measurement practices, provides policymakers with the evidence. This evidence is needed to create stronger, more targeted agricultural and environmental policies that are inclusive of soil and ultimately deliver meaningful impact for people, food, and the environment.

Who Should Attend?

• Policy makers and civil servants who are engaged in soil-related strategies, projects, or regulatory initiatives.

• Research leaders and scientific experts involved in soil monitoring programmes, Living Labs and the development of research and innovation policy recommendations.

• Practitioners and innovators working on soil health and using or testing new monitoring approaches.

• Stakeholders from civil society, NGOs, and grassroots movements with an active interest in soil health.

• Private sector representatives contributing to or benefiting from soil health innovations.

Recording and photography: Recording and/or photography will take place at this event. We will be asking for your consent through our booking form.

Data protection: Soil Association takes data protection seriously and will only collect essential data from participants necessary to use for the running of this event.

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By registering for this event you agree to the terms and conditions stated in our privacy policy. If you have any queries please contact: info.farmingandlanduse@soilassociation.org.

The AI4SH Project is a research and innovation project co-funded by the European Union under the EU’s Soil Health Mission for 2030. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Research Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

This work has received funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the UK government’s Horizon Europe funding guarantee [grant numbers 10053484, 1005216, 1006329].