NEWS: Advancing Digital Soil Health Management under the ECOBASE Project

One of the planned outcomes of the ECOBASE Project is the development of advanced digital solutions to support sustainable soil health management. A core component of this effort is the establishment of a Soil Quality Monitoring and Prediction–Warning System, designed to provide reliable access to data, knowledge exchange, and enhanced collaboration among all stakeholders involved in soil management and agricultural production.

At the heart of this system are ground-based soil monitoring stations, which enable continuous, real-time collection of key meteorological and soil parameters. On 12 February 2026, a team of experts from the UKIM Institute of Agriculture, North Macedonia, accompanied by local specialist from the company who provided the stations, carried out a field activity aimed at installing two soil monitoring stations in the project’s pilot area.

The installed stations are equipped with a comprehensive set of sensors, including wind speed and wind direction sensors, soil radiation sensors, rainfall sensors, air humidity and air pressure sensors, as well as soil moisture sensors. In addition, each station is fitted with a solar panel and a data logger, ensuring continuous operation, autonomous power supply, and secure data storage over time.

Beyond real-time monitoring of climatic parameters and soil quality, the stations are integrated with dedicated software solutions that allow the collected data to be transformed into practical decision-support tools. These digital solutions can assist farmers and advisors with irrigation scheduling, as well as provide early warning information relevant to plant protection, thereby supporting more efficient and climate-resilient agricultural practices.

Both monitoring stations have been strategically installed within the pilot area to capture contrasting agro-environmental conditions. One station is located on a low lake terrace on alluvial soils, while the second is positioned in a hilly area on rendzinic soils and regosols, dominated by vineyards in the wider region. This approach enables the collection of representative data across different landscapes and soil types and directly supports the development of targeted measures for viticulture production in the pilot region.

Through these actions, the ECOBASE Project continues to strengthen the use of digital technologies for soil health monitoring, climate adaptation, and sustainable agricultural development, contributing to improved resilience and productivity in the region.