Soil Microbiome and Functional Diversity

AGROSOIL explores how soil microbial communities contribute to weed suppression and ecosystem resilience. Greenhouse and field experiments assess microbial taxa involved in weed seed decay and crop–weed interactions. Functional traits of weed species are analyzed to understand how AEWM influences community composition and ecological functions.

Socio-Economic Evaluation

The project conducts social life cycle assessments and cost–benefit analyses to evaluate the viability of AEWM strategies. Stakeholder perspectives are integrated through workshops, surveys, and interviews, ensuring that proposed solutions are both ecologically effective and economically feasible.

Expected Impact

AGROSOIL contributes to the European Green Deal and Sustainable Development Goals by:

• Reducing chemical inputs and soil degradation.
• Enhancing biodiversity and ecosystem services.
• Supporting long-term adoption of agroecological practices.
• Providing open-access data and tools for research and policy development.

Partners and Funder

AGROSOIL is led by the Julius Kühn Institute in Germany. In addition to RISE, participating partners include the University of Lleida (UCL), the Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO), Wageningen University and Research (WUR & WR), and the National Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Technology (INIACSIC).

AGROSOIL is an EU partnership project initiated by the Agroecological Partnership, but funded by each participating member state. In Sweden, the funding is provided by FORMAS.

In AI-PRO, RISE and its industry partners aim to develop solutions that support more preventive approaches in various production processes. Instead of identifying problems after they occur, AI and smart sensors will help companies predict and avoid them in time, leading to more consistent quality, reduced waste, and lower energy consumption. 

Participating companies represent different sectors: 

• Oatly and Orkla from the food industry.
• Lantmännen from the agricultural sector.
• Höganäs from the steel industry.
• Sensor companies Incipientus och RHI Magnesita /Agellis contribute with sensors and valuable measurement data used to train the AI models. 

The companies involved share similar needs: they want to better understand how raw materials and process settings affect the final product and be able to adjust the process when conditions change. For example, Lantmännen aims to optimize grain drying to save energy and maintain good quality, while Höganäs wants to reduce slag carry-over in metal production. Oatly and Orkla are focused on maintaining high and consistent product quality despite variations in raw materials. 

The project will develop a common AI methodology that can be applied across industries. It  will be tested in real industrial environments. The AI models will identify relationships between raw materials, process settings, and product quality, identify anomalies, and support automated process control. 

AI-PRO will run from September 2025 to August 2028 and is funded by Vinnova.

Project Content and Focus

The rural and agricultural sectors face several urgent challenges, including climate change, biodiversity loss, water scarcity, social exclusion, urbanization, and low profitability for many farmers. The NEXRUR project aims to help address these issues by developing and testing new, community-driven business models for agricultural enterprises, in collaboration between stakeholders from the EU and China.

Community-driven refers to businesses operated by multiple actors and/or with strong ties to the local community. The goal is to strengthen social, environmental, and economic sustainability and resilience in an integrated way. This will be achieved through case studies and digital tools that help disseminate successful solutions and foster long-term change.

Concrete Actions for Sustainable Rural Development

The project carries out the following key actions:

• Framework for Community-Driven Business Models: A conceptual framework is being developed and tested in 22 case studies across the EU and China. Through practical application and continuous feedback, the framework is refined to adapt to various local conditions, making it easier for stakeholders to create business ideas that integrate social, environmental, and economic sustainability.
• Digital Tool for Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): The project is developing a digital tool to measure and monitor social, environmental, and economic KPIs. This tool enables businesses to easily evaluate their efforts, compare models, and collect data on impacts—providing a foundation for further development and dissemination of successful solutions.
• Policy Guidelines, Handbooks, and Capacity Building: Policy guidelines and handbooks are being created to support the scaling and adaptation of business models to new contexts.
• Capacity Building for Entrepreneurs and Decision-Makers: Training sessions and workshops are organized to enhance the skills of entrepreneurs and decision-makers, and to build an active network that drives change beyond the project's duration.

Beyond its practical actions, the project is firmly rooted in international cooperation, with active collaboration and knowledge exchange between stakeholders from both the EU and China. By working across borders, the project strengthens its experiential foundation and enables broader dissemination of innovative solutions, giving it global relevance from the very start.

RISE’s Role in the Project

RISE will participate in most activities within the NEXRUR project but will primarily take a leading role in the work package focused on developing and testing a system with a connected digital tool. This tool is designed to help agricultural enterprises monitor and improve their sustainability—not only economically, but also socially and environmentally. The system will be developed in stages and in close collaboration with stakeholders and end users, namely farming businesses.

Participating Partners

The project is coordinated by ATB Potsdam and includes the following partners:

• European Partners:
  RISE, SLU, Wageningen Research, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Greenovate! Europe, and several SMEs, universities, and civil society organizations.
• Chinese Partners:
• IUE – Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences
• NBU – Ningbo University
• ZGU – Zhejiang Gongshang University
• EES – Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences
• AED – Institute of Agricultural Economics and Development
• ZJU – Zhejiang University
• YZU – Yangzhou University
• ZAA – Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences
• SAA – Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences

As urbanization continues to accelerate—projected to encompass 70% of the global population by 2050—urban soils are increasingly recognized as vital for delivering essential ecosystem services that support healthy and resilient cities. These soils play a key role in regulating carbon and water cycles, contributing significantly to both climate adaptation and mitigation. They also offer important provisioning services, such as fostering biodiversity and enabling urban food production through initiatives like community gardens, but also vertical farming and green roofs that lowers the heat island effects.

Beyond their ecological functions, urban soils enhance green spaces that promote mental and physical well-being and add aesthetic value to urban landscapes. However, despite their critical importance, urban soils are frequently degraded by human activities—including soil sealing, contamination with heavy metals, and compaction—which severely limit their capacity to provide these services.

To address these challenges, the URSOILL project is establishing a network of five Living Labs across European cities. These labs will serve as collaborative platforms where city planners, policymakers, researchers, and other stakeholders co-develop and test innovative solutions for urban soil restoration. The project emphasizes sustainable land management, nature-based solutions, and emerging technologies, ensuring that all approaches are scientifically sound, socially inclusive, and economically viable. Ultimately, URSOILL aims to make urban environments more climate-resilient, sustainable, and livable.