Water resilience is a critical issue in European agriculture, with climate change, extreme weather, and pollution threatening food security and rural livelihoods.
To address these urgent challenges, the EU CAP Network hosted the "Water Resilience in Agriculture: Innovation in Practice" conference. The event gathered farmers, researchers, and policymakers to accelerate the uptake of locally adapted solutions. Through interactive workshops, field visits, and thematic discussions on topics like circular water management and nature-based solutions, the conference aimed to foster collaboration and scale up practices that improve water efficiency and resilience across the EU.
Representing SOILL, Saskia Visser from Climate-KIC attended the Hamburg conference from 19–21 May 2026, noting an inspiring cross-disciplinary interest in healthy soils and broader climate adaptation.
EU CAP Network Conference, 19–21 May 2026 (Hamburg, Germany) – Image courtesy of EU CAP Network
The Innovation Market proved highly engaging, moving beyond a traditional exhibition space with activities like an "Innovation Hunt" that sparked dynamic conversations across sectors.
EU CAP Network Conference, 19–21 May 2026 (Hamburg, Germany) – Image courtesy of EU CAP Network
Field visits further highlighted practical innovations supporting both climate adaptation and soil health, such as drone sowing to prevent soil compaction and specialised machinery for submerged peatland farming.
Field Visit at EU CAP Network Conference, 19–21 May 2026 (Hamburg, Germany)
Throughout the event, the vital role of Living Labs and demonstration farms in building trust and accelerating peer learning was a recurring theme. This provided an excellent opportunity for SOILL to identify potential new demonstration sites to integrate into the network. While immediate additions to the mentoring programme were not secured, a strong, growing appetite for hands-on collaboration across Europe was evident.
Ultimately, the conference reinforced the strategic necessity of strongly connecting the EU Mission Soil with the Missions on Adaptation and Water and Oceans, bringing relevant initiatives into the SOILL ecosystem to build a truly resilient agricultural future.