Across five Living Labs, farmers and stakeholders co-design and test practices tailored to local conditions, building resilient farms and sustainable food systems through regenerative livestock grazing.
GroundWork puts farmers and soils at the centre of agricultural transformation.
GroundWork puts farmers and souls at the heart of agricultural transformation. Healthy soils are the foundation of resilient food systems. Yet, decades of intensive livestock farming and unsustainable practices have degraded much of Europe’s land, threatening both the environment and long-term agricultural productivity.
GroundWork works to reverse this trend through Regenerative Livestock Grazing Practices (RLGPs) that restore soil health, reduce environmental impact, and enhance climate resilience. By combining science, local knowledge and practical experience, the project drives a systemic transition toward regenerative agriculture across Europe — working with nature and for farmers.
Through five Living Labs across Portugal, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, and Serbia, GroundWork collaborates with farmers, advisors, and local communities to co-design, test, and adapt regenerative grazing systems to both conventional and organic farms in diverse climates and landscapes.
These Living labs act as open network spaces for innovation, learning, and demonstration, ensuring that hands-on experience and regional farming realities guide every step of the transition towards sustainable livestock systems.
Through five Living Labs across Portugal, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, and Serbia, GroundWork collaborates with farmers, advisors, and local communities to co-design, test, and adapt regenerative grazing systems to both conventional and organic farms in diverse climates and landscapes.
These Living labs act as open network spaces for innovation, learning, and demonstration, ensuring that hands-on experience and regional farming realities guide every step of the transition towards sustainable livestock systems.
GroundWork implements a comprehensive three-year programme, co-developed with farmers, to transform farms into resilient, regenerative ecosystems through adaptive livestock management.
The project develops and tests adaptive, rotational and mixed-grazing systems that enhance soil structure and fertility, improve water retention and increase carbon storage while maintaining farm productivity.
Through a combination of training, mentoring, and Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP), the programme supports farmers in implementing and testing regenerative grazing systems directly on their land.
GroundWork supports the EU Mission “A Soil Deal for Europe” through four core objectives:
Reduce soil
degradation and
improve soil health
Enhance soil biodiversity and ecosystem services
Increase soil carbon stocks through regenerative land management
Promote soil literacy and stakeholder engagement for long-term change
All objectives are implemented across the five Living Labs
Developing and testing adaptive grazing systems that regenerate soils while maintaining farm viability.
Restoring soil organic matter, supporting microbial life and boosting ecosystem function above and below ground.
Engaging farmers, researchers and policymakers in continuous knowledge exchange and capacity-building.
Creating financial incentives and policy frameworks that reward regenerative outcomes and enable wider adoption across Europe.
GroundWork builds on a wide network of European and international partners contributing knowledge, tools and best practices for regenerative agriculture and soil health.
GroundWork builds on a wide network of European and international partners contributing knowledge, tools and best practices for regenerative agriculture and soil health.
