betterSoil at Soil Health NOW! Conference in the Netherlands
At the Soil Health NOW! Conference in the Netherlands, betterSoil connected with global innovators using AI and data to transform soil care. The event sparked fresh ideas and collaborations that strengthen our mission to restore soil and support sustainable farming.
Soil health — now or later?
For us, and for everyone who gathered in Wageningen, Netherlands, last week, the answer was loud and clear: definitely NOW. The Soil Health NOW! Conference, hosted by AI4SoilHealth and the OpenGeoHub Foundation, brought together scientists, innovators, farmers, and startups from across Europe and beyond to explore the future of soil through the lens of data, AI, and sustainable tech. From day one, it felt like stepping into a soil science renaissance. We dove into the soil data revolution, learning how Earth observation, spectroscopy, and AI are transforming the way we understand and manage our soils. For us at betterSoil, where our work focuses on blending local wisdom with modern tech to restore degraded agricultural soils, it was inspiring to see how these tools can supercharge what we’re already doing across Germany and Europe. We’re especially excited about the possibilities of remote soil monitoring, predictive indicators, and smarter, low-cost tools for farmers.
It wasn’t just about tech
It was about transforming innovation into real-world impact. The sessions explored how cutting-edge research can evolve into practical, scalable solutions that serve farmers and ecosystems alike, from accessible farmer-focused tools to breakthrough technologies in soil monitoring. One of the participants was the US company Planet, which has had its own satellites in orbit around the earth for around 10 years. Planet uses these to take a picture of every corner of the earth every day of the year. The resolution is between three and five metres. This wealth of data is to be utilised even more for the agricultural sector. At betterSoil, we will use historical data of this kind to obtain an initial assessment of soil fertility when it comes to supporting farmers. See our article on our collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA) for more information. The spotlight was on innovations that are both effective and inclusive. These are exactly the kinds of solutions betterSoil champions: circular, regenerative systems designed not only to restore soil health but also to strengthen communities and build resilient, climate-smart food systems. Attending Soil Health NOW was a reminder that we’re part of a growing, global ecosystem of changemakers working from the ground up (literally). We returned home with new insights, potential collaborators, and a renewed sense of urgency because the time for healthier soil, smarter tech, and climate-resilient agriculture isn’t five years from now — it’s right now. And we’re ready to dig in.