Pilot Projects
Connecting regenerative farmers with scalable microbial soil solutions.
Co-designing field-scale microbial solutions to improve soil biology and drought resilience under reduced tillage practices
Farmer Profile
Jannes Ouart operates an ~800-hectare arable farm with a background in environmental sciences and agriculture. He is actively exploring regenerative and conservation practices, including direct seeding, mulch seeding, and cover crops. While still using some plowing for wheat and barley rotations, he is motivated to reduce soil disturbance and transition toward more sustainable practices.
Current Practices:
- •Direct seeding and mulch seeding systems
- •Cover crop integration for soil health
- •Reduced tillage (transitioning from conventional plowing)
- •Controlled traffic systems (e.g., Nexart)
Expects approximately 5 years to see full effects of direct sowing transition. Pilot designed with short-term indicators and a clear multi-season pathway to measure progress.
Field Monitoring & Decision Metrics
Comprehensive monitoring across five key categories to track pilot progress and inform decision-making
Agronomic
- •Crop emergence rates
- •Root development and architecture
- •Above-ground biomass accumulation
- •NDVI and remote sensing indicators
- •Yield (quantity and quality)
- •Grain quality parameters
Soil Function
- •Water infiltration rates
- •Hydraulic conductivity
- •Water retention capacity (proxy measurements)
- •Aggregate stability
- •Soil water repellency
- •Compaction levels
- •Residue breakdown rates
Biological
- •Soil respiration and microbial activity
- •Microbial biomass
- •Fungal to bacterial ratios
- •Simple enzyme activity indicators
- •Earthworms (macrofauna)
- •Collembola (mesofauna)
Input Efficiency
- •Fertilizer response rates
- •Potential fertilizer reduction without yield loss
- •Nutrient use efficiency
Operational Fit
- •Time requirements for interventions
- •Documentation burden
- •Integration with existing practices
- •Cost-effectiveness
Design Principles
Low Bureaucracy & Operational Burden
Minimize paperwork and administrative overhead. Design interventions that fit seamlessly into existing farm operations without creating additional complexity or time demands.
Avoid Over-Averaging Heterogeneity
Use zone-based approaches that respect field variability. Avoid treating the farm as uniform; instead, work with soil type differences and management history to address specific needs.
Farmer-Aligned Interventions
No aggressive "silver bullet" framing. Solutions must align with farmer preferences, respect their knowledge and experience, and build on existing regenerative practices rather than replacing them.
Get Involved
Interested in learning more about this pilot project or exploring similar solutions for your farm?