Soil is a scarce resource in Switzerland which has a variety of functions:
- food production,
- erosion protection,
- regulation of nutrient and hydrological cycles,
- filtering out of pollutants and
- basis for residential and infrastructural building projects.
Each of these functions has a societal value, which must be considered when weighing the different land usage options. The goal of sustainable soil management poses a strong challenge to society.
The National Research Programme "Sustainable Use of Soil as a Resource" (NRP 68) aims to establish the principles for integrative, sustainable and resource-efficient soil management in Switzerland. The Researchers of NRP 68 are concerned with improving our knowledge of soil systems, developing instruments for assessing soil as a resource and devising strategies for the sustainable use of land.
Research in NRP 68 follows an interdisciplinary approach and will be conducted in two phases: projects will initially be funded for 36 months, after which the financing may be extended by up to 24 months. Researchers may participate in activities conducted under European Joint Programming Initiatives (JPIs) during the second phase, in particular.
A total budget of 13 million Swiss francs has been made available for NRP 68.