In the 20th century, agriculture has experienced major gains in productivity via homogenization and intensive use of input, two key components of the dominant model of agriculture in developed countries. This model is jeopardized by the awareness of rapid global change, increased environmental stochasticity and the need for greater sustainability of agriculture. A new paradigm is emerging, in which biodiversity and the mechanisms underlying its dynamics are considered assets for a sustainable agriculture relying more on ecological functions within agroecosystems. Crop genetic diversity should play an essential role in this context, as a key element contributing to agriculture multi-functionality and to the resilience of agroecosystems under rapid climate change and decreased chemical inputs. However, the use of genetic diversity within agroecosystems faces ecological, socio-economic, organizational and regulatory challenges. The main goal of the project is to better evaluate the possible roles of within-crop genetic diversity to reinforce the multi-functionality and resilience of cropping systems under global change. WHEATAMIX focuses on a major cereal, wheat, in a central area of production, the Paris basin. WHEATAMIX develops a highly multidisciplinary approach involving geneticists, agronomists, ecophysiologists, ecologists, economists, and management scientists, as well as key stakeholders (“Chambres d’Agriculture”, farmers). It is structured in four complementary work-packages: - WP1 will characterise key morphological/ecophysiological traits and genetic variability of wheat genotypes. We will examine the plastic response of these traits to plant-plant interactions and test how trait complementarity affects the performance of wheat genotypes in blends through experiments and modelling. - WP2 will quantify multiple ecosystem services provided by variety diversity within wheat fields: yield (including grain quality) and its stability, regulation of foliar diseases, insect pest and weed biocontrol, maintenance of soil fertility, along with biodiversity conservation. We will analyse trade-offs and synergies among ecosystem services, as well as links between particular baskets of services and bundles of traits of varieties. - WP3 will study the techno-economic interest of blends and associated baskets of services for -and their acceptability by- key stakeholders. We will explore the organisational and economic bases of blend choice by the wheat chain (from seed companies to millers), with a focus on the Paris basin. Existing lock-in to the use of associations of wheat varieties will be analysed. These 3 WPs will use common, complementary experimental approaches: i) individual plant phenotyping to characterize traits and their plasticity for 50 wheat varieties; ii) a main diversity experiment (65 100m2 wheat plots with 1, 2, 4 or 8 varieties, under low input) to quantify variety diversity effect on ecosystem services; iii) replicates of the same diversity experiment in 5 sites across France using smaller (7m2) plots, under low and high inputs, to test the robustness of wheat diversity under a wide range of environmental conditions; iv) a network of 50 farms, encompassing agro-climatic variability in the Paris basin, to compare the ecological and techno-economic performance of blends with that of monocultures, in direct link with key stakeholders. - WP4 will combine results from WP1-3 and mobilize key stakeholders to build scenarios of the development of wheat variety blends in the Paris Basin considering various future climatic and economic contexts. Opportunities offered by and impacts of the introduction of wheat variety blends in the Paris production basin will be assessed on the basis of these scenarios. A strategy for the dissemination of project results will also be implemented.

In the EU, 60-70% of soils are degraded as a direct result of unsustainable management. However, tackling this multifaceted challenge is not an easy task, mainly because farmers' decisions are influenced by a wide range of factors, making it difficult to define regenerative soil management practices that are simultaneously effective, economical, have demonstrable yield benefits and are easy to implement. In this context, the goal is to foster a collective awareness, at the the level of five Mediterranean regions, that soils and humans must be understood as social-ecological systems and that no organisation/solution alone is capable of sustainably transforming the system. The desired change can only emerge when the innovation process is supported by an exploration phase enabling actors to identify their personal (from individuals to organisations) drivers, ultimately aligning purposes and behaviours toward impactful collective actions. To demonstrate this, the project will apply co-creation tools to multi-actor governance structures, emphasising the building up of a shared awareness of soil threats over the identification of specific technologies. The main objectives of the proposed plan are: 1) to explore regional needs and drivers, and to validate governance models for operating multi-actor co-creation processes; 2) to establish a network of five agro-innovation hubs sustained by underlying business models; 3) to define harmonised regional baselines for 7 out of the 8 indicators found in the Soil Mission Implementation plan; 4) to kick-start the multi-actor co-design and validation of solutions for soil health that are practical and scalable; 5) to facilitate the diffusion of innovation through a plethora of communication and dissemination actions. GOV4ALL concentrates on 3 Mediterranean pedo-climatic zones, where the hubs will serve as sustainable innovation centres, aiding the Soil Mission's objectives and inspiring soil regeneration regionally and beyond.

Healthy soil is at the heart of the European Green Deal and one of the main targets of the Mission Board. The EU is currently struggling with soil degradation which is undoubtedly linked to agriculture intensification. Thus, a new soil management paradigm on soil monitoring, restoration and protection must be an endeavour of farmers, scientists, businesses, politicians and citizens. LivingSoiLL intends to respond to these challenges by establishing 5 Living Labs (LLs) in PT, FR, ES, IT and PL focused on permanent crops (vineyards, olive groves, chestnuts, hazelnuts and apple orchards), comprising at least 50 demonstration sites and 10 lighthouses, and with active participation of more than 2000 local actors. These LLs will focus on improving healthy soils and ecosystem services through co-creating, co-implementing and co-testing (digital) solutions to reduce erosion, improve soil structure, reduce the impacts of the intensive use of fertilizers and pesticides, increase water storage, enhance soil biodiversity, and the overall resilience of soil. By promoting locally adjusted innovative solutions, spreading sustainable soil management practices and enhancing soil literacy, LivingSoilLL will contribute to the overall improvement of soil health and environmental resilience. This approach, applied in real-life settings, will mobilize farmers, farm advisors and local communities, facilitating the assemblage of formal, scientific knowledge with experience-based farmers know-how, fostering a forum for the exchange of experiences and best practices. LivingSoilLL is also designed to produce policy recommendations on best soil management practices on permanent crops to reduce erosion while promoting other soil health indicators. With its approach, LivingSoiLL projects intends to contribute to creating the necessary conditions to EU be able to sustain healthy soils for future generations