Regenerative Agriculture as a Solution to Erosion

Summary of the challenge
Agriculture is facing significant environmental, economic, and social challenges. These challenges, which include soil degradation due to erosion and low organic matter content, climate variability, and rural depopulation, jeopardize the long-term sustainability of the region's agricultural production and local communities.
Detailed description
As the founder of the Korowod Bioregional Center (www.korowod.life), I am submitting this challenge to address the multifaceted threats to soil health and agricultural sustainability in the Eastern Sudeten Foreland, with a specific focus on the Kłodzko region. The objective is to initiate a grassroots, participatory process that directly engages local farmers and landowners to co-create solutions for soil erosion and degradation, thereby advancing the goals of the EU Mission Soil and the SoilTribes initiative. Context and History The Sudeten Foreland is a distinct bioregion characterized by significant environmental diversity, which simultaneously presents unique opportunities and limitations for agricultural activity. The terrain is hilly and varied in elevation, making it particularly susceptible to soil erosion on agriculturally exploited slopes. Historical research, such as the studies conducted in the Strzelin Hills, has documented the formation of "dry valleys" as a result of long-term denudation processes, a phenomenon exacerbated by farming practices that have often overlooked soil conservation principles. The soil itself, predominantly Cambisols and Luvisoils, presents its own set of challenges. It is often characterized by a low organic matter content and poorly developed structure, leading to limited water retention and low sorption potential. When combined with simplified crop structures, such as a reliance on monocultures and a lack of crop rotation, this has led to a cycle of biological and physical soil degradation. Traditional, small-scale, and fragmented land ownership structures further complicate the adoption of large-scale, uniform solutions, necessitating a hyper-local and collaborative approach. Actors and Urgency The central actors in this challenge are the local farmers and landowners of the Kłodzko region. These are the individuals who hold generations of situated, relational expertise about their land. However, this community is currently facing significant demographic and economic pressures. The region is experiencing rural depopulation and an aging population, with a limited inflow of younger generations into agriculture. This demographic shift threatens the continuity of farming traditions and the stewardship of the land. Economically, farmers are grappling with the unpredictability of grain purchase prices, which generates substantial risk and limits their capacity to invest in often costly regenerative and environmentally sustainable methods. The urgency of this challenge cannot be overstated. The current combination of environmental degradation, climatic instability, and socio-economic pressures is creating an unsustainable trajectory for agriculture in the region. Without a dedicated, collaborative effort, we risk the further intensification of unsustainable practices, land abandonment, and a significant loss of biodiversity and soil fertility. This challenge is an immediate and necessary response to these intertwined threats. Relevance to Soil and Territorial Justice This project is deeply rooted in the principles of Territorial Justice and Commons Stewardship. Territorial Justice: Our work aims to address the spatial inequalities and socio-environmental vulnerabilities of the Kłodzko region. It focuses on empowering a structurally excluded community—small-scale farmers and landowners—by giving them a central voice in the decision-making processes concerning their land. By preventing soil erosion in this fragile territory and building resilience against climate change, we are actively supporting land justice and strengthening the social and ecological fabric of the bioregion. This is a direct response to the EU Soil Strategy for 2030 objective of preventing erosion. Commons Stewardship: We see soil not merely as a resource, but as a living, political, and cultural commons. This challenge will foster a collective responsibility for the health of our shared soil. By creating a collaborative platform, we will move beyond individual land management to a community-based approach to erosion control and care practices. Our goal is to cultivate a new alliance of stakeholders—Civil Society, Academia, Public Sector, and the Social Economy—who will collectively commit to the long-term stewardship of the region's soils. Proposed Approach Our approach is centered on a grassroots participatory process designed to bridge the four pillars of the SoilTribes ecosystem. The Korowod Bioregional Center will act as a facilitator, convening a series of stakeholder engagement events, including participatory mapping workshops, soil health learning labs, and multi-stakeholder forums. By doing so, we will: Map the Challenges: Systematically collect qualitative and quantitative data from local farmers on the specific challenges they face with soil erosion, climate variability, and economic pressures. Translate Knowledge: Bridge the gap between academic research on Sudeten soils and the on-the-ground knowledge of farmers. Co-Design Solutions: Empower the community to co-design a roadmap of actionable, hyper-local solutions that can be implemented on their farms. Build a Coalition: Foster a multi-pillar coalition that can work together to secure resources, influence local policy, and support the long-term regenerative transition of the Kłodzko region's agricultural landscape. This challenge, therefore, is not just about solving a technical problem; it is about activating a living ecology of practice that democratizes land governance, builds community resilience, and fosters a renewed relationship with soil as a shared commons.
Which SoilTribes priority area(s) does your challenge address?
Regenerative Transitions
How does your challenge rey soil degradation. These individuals hold invaluable, situated knowledge about their land and are essential partners in co-creating solutions. I will be the lead facilitator, drawing on my training in gender inclusion in ecosystem restoration as well as grassroots community organizing to ensure the participatory process is equitable. Our methodology will be intentionally designed to include and amplify the voices of all community members, particularly women and youth who often play a vital but underrecognized role in land stewardship and agricultural decision-making. The challenge will also involve a broader ecosystem of stakeholders, including researchers from academic institutions who provide crucial scientific context, local public sector bodies for policy integration, and civil society groups who bring additional community perspectives. We will also engage social economy actors, such as local cooperatives and CSAs, to explore new economic models that support regenerative practices. This multi-helix approach ensures that our solutions are comprehensive, sustainable, and democratically governed.
Where is your challenge located?
Kłodzko in Lower Silesia Poland
Which SoilTribes pillar(s) are you connected to?
Academia, Education & Research
Civil Society
What public policies or institutional frameworks does your challenge engage with or seek to change?
EU Mission Soil & EU Soil Strategy for 2030: This challenge directly aligns with the mission's objective to transition to healthy soils and the strategy's goals of preventing erosion and conserving soil organic carbon. The project aims to serve as a grassroots "living lab" to demonstrate effective, co-created solutions. Polish Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Strategic Plan & National Laws: The challenge will engage with the national implementation of the EU's CAP, particularly eco-schemes and conditionality requirements. The aim is to influence how these funds are utilized locally to incentivize soil-friendly practices. It also seeks to inform the application of the Polish Act on the Protection of Agricultural and Forest Land. Public Sector: Powiatowy Zespół Doradztwa Rolniczego w Kłodzku (District Agricultural Advisory Team in Kłodzko), a local branch of the regional agricultural advisory service. Local government bodies like the Urząd Miasta w Kłodzku (City Office in Kłodzko) and Starostwo Powiatowe w Kłodzku (District Office in Kłodzko). The Regionalna Dyrekcja Ochrony Środowiska we Wrocławiu (Regional Directorate for Environmental Protection in Wrocław), which has jurisdiction over the area. Civil Society: Lokalna Grupa Działania "Kłodzka Wstęga" (Local Action Group "Kłodzko Ribbon"), a community-led organization focused on rural development. Local farmer associations and cooperatives, which are essential for coordinating efforts and sharing knowledge.
How do you imagine the Bootcamp will benefit your initiative — and others?
From a bioregional perspective, the bootcamp is a crucial step in the establishment of our Bioregional Living Lab in the Kłodzko region, which is being developed as part of a Mission Soil Horizon call (1st stage due Sept 4th). The bootcamp will provide us with tools and methodologies for grassroots community engagement, helping us move from a theoretical framework to a practical, co-created plan for our living lab's participatory processes. It will allow us to connect with a pan-European network of peers and experts, enriching our approach with diverse perspectives and expertise. In return, our initiative offers a replicable model for others. By focusing on the unique challenges of a fragile bioregion like the Eastern Sudeten Foreland, we can demonstrate how a multi-helix, grassroots approach can be used to activate a community around soil stewardship across the bioregion of the Sudeten. Our experience in bridging local knowledge with scientific research and ensuring gender-inclusive participatory processes will provide a valuable blueprint for others seeking to initiate similar bioregional living labs and fost