Press Releases

SoilWise Releases Third Prototype of the Metadata Catalogue and Launches Demonstration Activities

The Horizon Europe SoilWise project has reached an important milestone with the release of its latest SoilWise Catalogue prototype and the launch of demonstration activities involving stakeholders from a range of use cases across Europe.

Following the completion of the Integration and Validation phase, the project has entered the Demonstration phase, during which stakeholders have the opportunity to explore, test, and provide feedback on the latest SoilWise developments.

A key achievement of this phase is the release of the third prototype of the SoilWise Metadata Catalogue. Building on previous development cycles, the updated catalogue features improvements to the user interface and search functionality, helping users more easily discover and access soil-related knowledge and data resources from multiple sources.

The SoilWise Metadata Catalogue is designed to improve the discoverability of soil-related resources, including datasets, publications, documents, software and services relevant to soil health and sustainable soil management. Rather than storing these resources itself, the catalogue harvests and integrates metadata from external repositories and data providers, enabling users to find and access relevant soil knowledge through a single-entry point. By aggregating metadata from multiple sources, SoilWise supports the FAIR principles and helps make soil-related information more Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable.

Alongside the catalogue, SoilWise continues to advance the development of complementary services. Recent activities include further work on the Soil Companion, a chatbot designed to support users in accessing soil knowledge, data and resources through natural-language interactions. Validation and testing activities for the next generation of the Soil Companion are currently underway, allowing stakeholders to contribute feedback and help shape future development.

The project is also continuing work on the Soil Health Knowledge Graph, which connects soil-related concepts and links them to relevant knowledge resources and external vocabularies. By strengthening semantic relationships between concepts, the Knowledge Graph contributes to improved discoverability and contextual understanding of soil information.

Demonstration and validation activities now underway will play a central role in the next stage of the project. Researchers, policymakers, advisors, land managers, businesses and other stakeholders are invited to participate in testing and provide feedback on the latest SoilWise tools and services. Insights gathered during these activities will help guide future development and ensure that project outputs respond to user needs.

As SoilWise moves forward, the project will continue to strengthen collaboration with the European soil community and contribute to improving access to soil knowledge and data in support of healthier soils and more informed decision-making across Europe.

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For media inquiries, partnership opportunities, or further information, please contact: 
biljana.tadic@biosense.rs

About SoilWise

SoilWise is a Horizon Europe project dedicated to advancing soil health knowledge and data management across Europe. Through its cutting-edge catalogue and collaborative initiatives, SoilWise supports the European Union’s mission to achieve healthy soils for a sustainable future. 

SOILWISE FIRST MILESTONE & SOILWISE REPOSITORY DEVELOPMENT KICK-OFF

Bruges, Belgium, April 2024 – Amidst the captivating ambiance of Bruges, Belgium, the SoilWise Project
partners convened for an intensive three-day session, from the 25th -27th of March. The primary objectives included initiating the development of the SoilWise Repository (SWR) and reflecting on the first milestone of the project, which entailed concluding the initial co-design process, reviewing outcomes, and strategizing for future endeavors. The collaboration yielded tangible results, with concrete action plans established for the upcoming significant milestone: the SWR Minimum Viable Product (MVP), slated for September.

“During the meeting, the co-design methodology was carefully evaluated, resulting in clear and strategic
improvements for the next iteration. The consecutive working days with the partners enhanced collaboration between the user and the technical groups, leading to better alignment on priorities and paving the way for achieving the second major milestone in the project, the SoilWise MVP.” as stated by the project coordinator.

The SoilWise project is not merely a technical endeavor; it is a collaborative effort that brings together diverse stakeholders, including land managers, policymakers, researchers, and industry leaders. Through a process of multi-actor co-design and co-validation during the project meeting, SoilWise partners discussed how the Repository should reflect the needs and priorities of all user groups, thereby maximizing its impact and effectiveness. Therefore, workshops with stakeholders were planned and designed to give practical responses for the Repository development.

Looking ahead, SoilWise remains steadfast in its mission to empower stakeholders with the knowledge and tools needed to safeguard our soil resources. With each milestone, we move closer to achieving the ambitious goals outlined in the Soil Mission and securing healthy soil for future generations.