The fight against land degradation, desertification, and declining soil health demands coordinated efforts and knowledge-sharing. The MONALISA meetings, held from January 28-30, 2025, brought together key stakeholders to foster collaboration and identify synergies across multiple projects and initiatives.

Building a Strong Network for Soil Health

Collaboration is key to tackling soil degradation effectively. The meeting facilitated discussions among various projects, including NOVASOIL, MRV4SOC, EcoFuture, NATMed, Tudi, BENCHMARKS, MarginUp!, SoilWise, REACT4MED, Lilas4soils, GOV4ALL, MARVIC, CREDIBLE, and InBestSoil. Additionally, projects like PREPSOIL, AI4SoilHealth, SOILS4MED, SALAM-MED, SoilVALUES, and LivingSoiLL expressed their commitment to ongoing engagement.

Key discussions centered on:

• Establishing a Community of Knowledge (CoK) to enable long-term engagement and shared learning.

• Developing a harmonized glossary of terms to standardize communication across soil health initiatives.

• Strengthening policy influence through global dialogues and workshops.

• Enhancing practical soil management strategies based on insights from late-stage projects.

• Expanding collaboration by engaging new researchers, stakeholders, and initiatives.

Synergies and Collaboration Focus Areas

One of the most significant outcomes of the meeting was the identification of complementary expertise among projects, paving the way for more effective partnerships. Discussions covered:

• Technology for Soil Health Monitoring, including remote sensing and AI-driven analysis.

• Advancing Case Study Approaches, with a focus on water management and conservation agriculture.

• Socio-Economic and Environmental Impact, incorporating financial solutions and stakeholder engagement.

• Open Data Sharing, ensuring accessibility of research and best practices.

• Policy Advocacy, integrating soil health into agricultural and environmental policies.

A Roadmap for Long-Term Collaboration

The MONALISA project is committed to integrating innovative solutions and governance structures to ensure lasting impact. By fostering technological integration, policy advocacy, and knowledge-sharing, these collaborations provide a strong foundation for combating desertification and improving soil health.

Through continued engagement and strengthened partnerships, MONALISA and its network of projects are shaping a sustainable future for soil health across vulnerable regions.