Abstract
The perception of diverse stakeholders with varying levels of involvement in practical soil management is essential for shaping future soil governance and policies, as it provides insights for differing perspectives on key issues such as soil health challenges and corresponding management practices. Against this background, this study aims to investigate the differences between farmers’ and nonfarmers’ perceptions regarding: 1) identified soil challenges, 2) effective practices to address these challenges, and 3) feasible practices for improving soil health. To fulfill the aims of this study, an online survey was conducted across ten European regions. Data were collected from 152 municipal-level stakeholders such as farmers/foresters and agricultural/forestry advisors, policymakers/administrators, researchers, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The results showed that farmers prioritized soil challenges such as improving soil structure, enhancing soil nutrient use efficiency and increasing water storage capacity, while nonfarmers placed greater emphasis on maintaining or increasing soil organic carbon, enhancing soil biodiversity, and avoiding soil erosion. The findings also indicated that stakeholders’ professional backgrounds significantly influence their perceptions of soil challenges (p < 0.05). Farmers and non-farmers identified different effective soil health practices to tackle a specific soil challenge. Among the soil health practices evaluated, non-inversion/reduced tillage, cover/catch crop, diversifying crop rotation, permanent soil cover, and use of organic fertilizers were identified by farmers and non-farmers as effective across all challenges. However, both groups shared similar views on the feasibility of these soil health practices. Therefore, viewpoints of diverse stakeholders on the effectiveness and feasibility of practices to tackle soil health challenges should be a priority for soil sustainability in Europe.