Food & Nature
Nemesis

Solutions for Desertification and Land Degradation in the Mediterranean

Solutions for Desertification and Land Degradation in the Mediterranean
At a Glance

At a Glance

  • Fighting desertification and land degradation in the Mediterranean
  • Network of five Living Labs in Spain, France, Italy, Cyprus and Tunisia-Algeria
  • Co-creation, implementation and evaluation of soil management practices

Desertification and soil degradation threaten agriculture, biodiversity and livelihoods across the Mediterranean, demanding urgent and sustainable solutions. The Nemesis project responds to this threat by establishing five autonomous yet connected Living Labs in Cyprus, France, Italy, North Africa and Spain. The Living Labs serve as innovation hubs, integrating diverse soil health data across real-world environments to develop effective land management practices.

Through co-creation with local communities and a focus on future generations, Nemesis aims to transform pilot sites into showcases of sustainable soil restoration. By linking science, society and policy, the project fosters informed decision-making and supports legislation to safeguard soil health, addressing desertification challenges both regionally and beyond.

Transition Towards Healthy Soils

Transition Towards Healthy Soils

Healthy soils are the foundation of many of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. Yet, across Europe, many soils are under pressure from pollution, erosion, and unsustainable land use, leading to various forms of soil degradation, including desertification. According to the European Commission, more than 25% of soils in the EU are at high or very high risk of desertification, with Mediterranean countries being among the most vulnerable. Desertification undermines food security, intensifies water scarcity, threatens biodiversity, and fuels economic and social instability. The EU Soil Mission, ‘A Soil Deal for Europe’, underpins the transition towards healthy soils by 2050 through the establishment of 100 Living Labs and Lighthouses. Nemesis aims to significantly contribute to this objective by establishing five Living Labs with 60 currently associated mature experimental sites across the Mediterranean region, while overseeing the co-creation and co-governance of solutions to combat desertification and reverse soil degradation in this diverse and particularly vulnerable ecosystem.

Living Labs to Combat Desertification

Living Labs to Combat Desertification

Nemesis addresses these challenges by “co-establishing” five interconnected Living Labs, each one tackling a unique challenge for soil health. These Living Labs are situated in five countries around the Mediterranean (Cyprus, France, Italy, Spain and Tunisia-Algeria) and tackle the relationship between soil and other factors like water management, biodiversity, crop systems, pasture and cross-border management. As real-life environments for co-creation and co-ownership, the Living Labs implement, evaluate, and enhance soil management practices, facilitating the transition towards healthy soils and potentially evolving into Lighthouses. This will be reinforced through two Open Calls aimed at expanding and strengthening the Living Labs by integrating additional experimental sites and enhancing them with low-cost technologies for soil health monitoring.

nemesis-soil.eu

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Dr Sonja Bergner
Senior Research & Impact Manager
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