C4SQ+

C4SQ+ addresses a common Euro-Mediterranean challenge: the deterioration of soil quality caused by erosion, rising temperatures, nutrient depletion, and loss of organic matter, which weakens biodiversity, water retention, and the resilience of farms. Building on the C4SQ study phase, the project tackles the limited knowledge of which techniques work in different Mediterranean pedoclimatic zones, the weakness of socioeconomic models, the low adoption of sustainable farming practices by farmers, and the fragmentation of political support.

The overall objective is to test and validate carbon-based farming solutions to improve soil quality under real-world conditions in seven Mediterranean territories and to transform these solutions into transferable tools, skills, and policies. It is hoped that farmers, advisors, and decision-makers will be able to choose and implement more appropriate carbon-based farming practices and cooperation models, supported by clearer evidence, practical guidance, and greater institutional capacity for their integration.

The main results are:

1. a catalogue of Mediterranean carbon farming techniques with a web-based decision support tool;
2. transnational guidelines for socio-economic models of carbon farming;
3. customized training materials from the EuroMed Academy; and
4. a Transnational Carbon Farming Strategy with a template for local action plans.Beneficiaries include farmers, advisors, cooperatives, SMEs, public authorities, NGOs, researchers, and partner ministries/regions.

A transnational approach is essential because Mediterranean soils, climate zones, and farming systems differ, so solutions must be tested and adapted together, while maintaining their transferability across the Euro-Mediterranean region, as required by the Fast Lane Test project's rationale. Innovative aspects include: the combination of the selection of techniques based on pedoclimatic zones, real-world testing in diverse territories, socioeconomic models, end-user verification, and a direct link between pilot evidence and the integration of transnational strategies and policies in the Euro-Mediterranean territory.