Focus Paper on Healthy Agricultural Soils as Natural Carbon Sinks

EUKI project Landcare Europe promotes climate-friendly farming in Germany, Lithuania, Romania, Croatia, and the Czech Republic. It develops policy recommendations for future CAP measures and organises workshops, field visits, and farmer training to strengthen carbon sequestration in agricultural landscapes. The project seeks to guide national governments in shaping their strategic plans and to encourage farmers to adopt sustainable practices.

This publication builds on the previous Focus Paper on Extensively Managed Grasslands. It highlights the key role of healthy agricultural soils as carbon sinks and as a basis for climate resilience, biodiversity, and food security. Yet 60–70% of European soils are currently degraded, largely due to intensive farming. To reverse this trend, the paper recommends practices such as plant cover, crop rotation, reduced tillage, and less chemical use. It also calls for CAP reform—stronger monitoring, higher standards, financial incentives, and better advisory support—to foster sustainable, humus-rich land management across Europe.