A Social Innovation Framework for Soil Literacy in Living Labs

TY - CONF

T1 - A Social Innovation Framework for Soil Literacy in Living Labs

AU - Hoidn, Sabine

AU - Woods, Mel

AU - Siegrist, Lisa

PY - 2026/9/9

Y1 - 2026/9/9

N2 - Soil literacy initiatives are often constrained by linear knowledge-transfer models that fail to foster collaborative learning, behavioural change, or locally grounded innovation. Addressing this gap is crucial to the EU Mission "A Soil Deal for Europe". This contribution presents a conceptual and methodological framework developed within the Horizon Europe project NEMESIS (2025–2029) to strengthen social innovation and stakeholder engagement. The framework is currently being operationalised across five Mediterranean Living Labs in coordination with emerging Multi-Actor Platforms (MAPs) and is aligned with European sustainability competence approaches (e.g. GreenComp). The framework consists of three interrelated components: (1) a social innovation pathway linking awareness raising, social learning, behavioural change, and the adoption of soil-friendly practices and solutions; (2) a set of intervention formats, including socio-ecological experiments, life-coaching cycles, and school-based engagements; and (3) a Living Lab and MAP-based implementation environment in which these formats are co-designed with stakeholders, tested in practice, and iteratively refined to fit local socio-ecological contexts. The framework embeds co‑creation, experimentation, and reflexive learning as drivers for behavioural and institutional change across diverse stakeholder groups. It advances soil literacy and citizen engagement by translating conceptual insights into structured activity formats, differentiated engagement strategies, and clearly defined pathways towards adoption. This contribution offers transferable design principles for embedding soil literacy, citizen engagement, and social innovation in soil-related initiatives, contributing to Mission Soil objectives.

AB - Soil literacy initiatives are often constrained by linear knowledge-transfer models that fail to foster collaborative learning, behavioural change, or locally grounded innovation. Addressing this gap is crucial to the EU Mission "A Soil Deal for Europe". This contribution presents a conceptual and methodological framework developed within the Horizon Europe project NEMESIS (2025–2029) to strengthen social innovation and stakeholder engagement. The framework is currently being operationalised across five Mediterranean Living Labs in coordination with emerging Multi-Actor Platforms (MAPs) and is aligned with European sustainability competence approaches (e.g. GreenComp). The framework consists of three interrelated components: (1) a social innovation pathway linking awareness raising, social learning, behavioural change, and the adoption of soil-friendly practices and solutions; (2) a set of intervention formats, including socio-ecological experiments, life-coaching cycles, and school-based engagements; and (3) a Living Lab and MAP-based implementation environment in which these formats are co-designed with stakeholders, tested in practice, and iteratively refined to fit local socio-ecological contexts. The framework embeds co‑creation, experimentation, and reflexive learning as drivers for behavioural and institutional change across diverse stakeholder groups. It advances soil literacy and citizen engagement by translating conceptual insights into structured activity formats, differentiated engagement strategies, and clearly defined pathways towards adoption. This contribution offers transferable design principles for embedding soil literacy, citizen engagement, and social innovation in soil-related initiatives, contributing to Mission Soil objectives.

KW - Social innovation

KW - design

KW - soil health

KW - roadmap

KW - Living lab

KW - Systemic design

M3 - Poster

T2 - Soils for Europe

Y2 - 6 September 2026 through 11 September 2026

ER -