“A Soil Deal for Europe”- Event in Skopje

On June 13, 2024, at Europe House Skopje, within the framework of the NATI00NS project, an event was held for the European mission on soil protection and funding opportunities for projects in this field. The event was organized by the association ‘Yes for less’ in collaboration with the Agricultural Institute – Skopje and Biosense Institute – Serbia.

In the opening session of the event, Irina presented the Green Ideas competition, using the metaphor of the apple to represent the Earth and its cultivable surface (mini-quiz). She highlighted the small fraction of cultivable soil that remains, which is insufficient to feed 9 billion people, emphasizing the need for awareness and caution in soil management.

The panel discussion titled “Sustainable vs. Conventional Agricultural Practices: Opportunities, Challenges, and Their Impact on Soil Health” included representatives from the Agricultural Institute as agriculture experts, two producers advocating for sustainable agriculture, and Irina Janevska from ARNO, supporters of green social entrepreneurship and organizers of last year’s event. During the panel, Irina shared local and international examples of agritourism (strawberry picking in Vienna, slow tourism in Albania (Mrizi i Zanave), urban gardens in abandoned factories, aeroponic plant cultivation systems (soil protection), and other green businesses that care for soil health while generating profit.

In 2021, the European Union launched the ambitious “Soil Deal for Europe” Mission, aiming by 2030 to establish 100 regional Living Labs and Lighthouses, serving as centers for knowledge dissemination and innovation, collectively developing and testing practices and solutions to improve soil health. The NATI00NS project aims to support the implementation of this mission by conveying key messages to raise awareness and prepare regional and national stakeholders across Europe to apply and implement their ideas for enhancing soil health.
In Macedonia, ARNO organized the event for the first time last year. For more information about the previous event, you can find it here.