About the Soil4Life Training

14- 19 October 2019, Vaunieres, France

The Soil4Life project aims to raise awareness and share good practices regarding this important subject.
As part of the project, CCIVS held capacity building event in one of its member’s centres in France. The participants learnt about the fascinating, living soil web and how they can restore and regenerate soils in their diverse contexts. The course addressed rural as well as urban issues and took place in participatory and non-formal learning environment.
We aimed to get our hands dirty- making compost, and natural fertilizers, while exploring skills like reading the landscape, sharing ideas, innovations and inspirations drawn from the diverse group of chosen participants. The young people were supported by expert facilitators and a strong logistics team.
During the event, each participant came up with an action plan that they will implement with their local organisations after the training. These can include workcamps, community gardens, local awareness raising campaigns, “Green the City” movements and similar projects. A Network of Soil Ambassadors is being established to share and connect these local actions and forms part of the creation of the Soil4Life Manifesto. A first draft of the Soil4Life Manifesto will be collectively created during the 4 training days, and the final manifesto will be delivered in March 2022 to the European Commission and presented during the International Convention to take place in UNESCO, Paris.
The “dirt below our feet” plays a critical part in our interconnected and living planet´s ecosystem. There are many solutions, large and small, and the Soil4Life project aims to promote and support actions that positively contribute to the regeneration and restoration of our environments.

Participants and training team on Soil4Life at Vaunieres, France

Sessions included practical and theory

Finding contours using a simple A-frame

Participatory strategies created a fun learning environment

Exploring different soil types and conditions

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