Global Symposium on Soil Compaction
Aarhus (Denmark), Hybrid Event, 21/09/2026 - 23/09/2026
©FAO / Matteo Sala
Soil compaction is a major and growing driver of land degradation worldwide, affecting agricultural, forest, and grazing ecosystems. Soil compaction, as a key soil threat, is primarily linked to intensive agricultural traffic, forest harvesting, livestock trampling and industrial activities. These pressures are often worsened by inadequate soil-moisture management, unsustainable land-use practices, and the growing size and weight of agricultural machinery. Soil compaction negatively impacts cropland, grasslands, rangelands and forestland, and it leads to detrimental effects on plant growth, crop and fodder yields and reduces ecosystem goods and services.
The extent of these impacts, and the rate at which soil functions could be recovered, depend on the degree of compaction and the interaction of multiple soil and management factors. Despite advances in science and technology, significant gaps remain in the development, transfer, and harmonization of knowledge across research, farm and pasture management, and policymaking.
Addressing these gaps is the focus of the Global Symposium on Soil Compaction, co-organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and its Global Soil Partnership (GSP) and Aarhus University, The Symposium will be held in Aarhus, Denmark from 21–23 September 2026 and participation is free of charge.
Aim and objectives
The objective of the symposium is to advance global understanding, research collaboration, and policy development around soil compaction, its impacts, assessment and mitigation. Through multidisciplinary dialogue, the symposium aims to bridge scientific knowledge, technological innovation, policy and practical application to promote sustainable soil management. Specifically, the objectives of this Symposium are to:
- Discuss advanced scientific understanding of soil compaction and its impacts on soil functions, crop, grassland and rangelands’ performance, ecosystems goods and services, and climate;
- Exchange knowledge on innovative methods, tools, and practices for assessing, preventing, and mitigating soil compaction across different land uses;
- Support dialogue on policy frameworks, regulatory approaches, and harmonized monitoring systems for evidence-based soil protection; and
- Identify socio-economic barriers and opportunities for adopting sustainable soil management practices, and to foster collaboration and cross-sector partnerships.
The outcomes of the symposium are expected to directly inform the development of actionable recommendations, technical briefs, and guidance for countries and stakeholders, and will contribute to FAO’s normative work and global soil and agricultural land management and restoration initiatives.
Main themes
The Symposium will bring science and policy together to review the status and challenges of soil compaction. It will be divided into five main themes:
 | Theme 1: Soil compaction effects on cropland and pastureland sustainable production and ecosystem functioning. |
 | Theme 2: Machinery-Soil interactions and impact of livestock on compaction. |
 | Theme 3: Assessment, monitoring, and data harmonization. |
 | Theme 4: Prevention and mitigation strategies and risk assessment. |
 | Theme 5: Barriers and solutions to the adoption of soil compaction prevention and mitigation measures. |
For a full description of the themes, please refer to the Concept Note
Call for abstracts
The Global Symposium on Soil Compaction is inviting the submission of abstracts from researchers, practitioners, policymakers, industry representatives, and other stakeholders engaged in soil compaction and sustainable soil management for soil compaction mitigation.
Abstracts should present the objectives, methodology, key results, and significance of the work, and must relate to one or more symposium themes. Submissions should be written in English and not exceed 3 000 characters, following the guidelines provided in the online submission system.
All abstracts will undergo peer review by the Scientific Committee, which will select contributions for oral and poster presentations based on scientific quality, relevance, and originality. Authors of accepted abstracts will receive notification of acceptance along with presentation details. The symposium also welcomes contributions from international organizations, research networks, and professional communities.
The call for abstracts will open in February 2026, with the deadline for submissions on 30 April 2026. Notifications of acceptance will be issued early June 2026.
Participation
The conference will draw from a diverse group of researchers, policymakers, representatives of international organizations, civil society, development practitioners, and the private sector. Participation in the event is free of charge for both in-person and online attendees. Registration will be conducted through the FAO website, where participants will be able to complete the online registration form and access updated event information.
Scientific Committee
- Blanca Prado Pano (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México)
- Emmanuel Arthur (Aarhus University)
- Lars Munkholm (Aarhus University)
- Mansonia P. Moncada (FAO)
- Mathieu Lamandé (Aarhus University)
- Mogens Greve (Aarhus University)
- Xinhua Peng (Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences).
Abstract Panel
- Bin Zhang (Nanjing Agricultural University)
- Bipin K Pandey (University of Nottingham)
- Diogenes L. Antille (CSIRO)
- Hu Zhou (China Agricultural University)
- Jean Caron (Université Laval)
- José Dörner (Universidad Austral de Chile)
- Joséphine Peigné (Institut Supérieur d'Agriculture Rhône-Alpes)
- Julie Ingram (University of Gloucestershire)
- Laura Alakukku (University of Helsinki)
- Lidong Ren (Chinese Academy of Sciences)
- Loraine ten Damme (Aarhus University)
- Luiz Fernando Pires (State University of Ponta Grossa)
- Martin Thorsøe (Aarhus University)
- Peter Bilson Obour (University of Ghana)
- Rachel Guimarães (Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná)
- Rainer Horn (Kiel University)
- Terese Pinto Correia (University of Evora)
- Thomas Keller (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences)
- Wei Hu (Bioeconomy Science Institute, Plant and Food Research Lincoln)
- Wim Cornelis (Ghent University).
Co-organizers
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Documents
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Call for abstracts
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