LOESS policy workshops explore why soil deserves a place in everyday learning

Soil may be under our feet, but its importance is easy to miss. It helps grow our food, stores carbon, supports biodiversity and plays a major role in tackling climate change. Yet despite all this, soil is still rarely given much attention in education. That is where the Horizon Europe project LOESS comes in, with a mission to help more people understand why soil matters in everyday life.

To find out how soil can be brought more effectively into classrooms and public learning, LOESS held policy workshops across Europe. These conversations brought together educators, ministries, universities, local authorities and other key actors to look at what is already happening, what is missing and what could make soil education easier to deliver.

The message was clear: interest in soil education is growing, but it still has not found a strong place in most education systems. Teachers and learners need practical materials, more training and stronger links between lessons and real-life experiences such as outdoor learning, field visits and community action.

The workshops also showed that soil literacy is about much more than science lessons. It can support bigger goals such as sustainability, climate awareness and skills for future careers in agriculture, environmental science and land management. LOESS resources, including lesson materials, digital tools and training opportunities, were seen as a practical way to help bring this topic to life in different countries and learning settings.

In the end, improving soil education is not just about adding another topic to the curriculum. It is about helping people see the hidden value of the ground beneath them and understand how closely it is linked to food, nature and climate. With the right support, soil literacy can become a powerful part of building a more informed and sustainable future.

Read the analysis of the discussion of the Scientix Ministries of Education STEM Representatives Working group here.

Explore the LOESS Policy brief 1, and Policy Brief 2 for the integration of soil into all avenues of education.