ECHO at the ESCA Conference 2026

Recently, from 2 to 6 March, the ECSA Conference 2026 took place in Oulu, Finland, a city that has recently been named European Capital of Culture for 2026.

Representing ECHO, and as part of the Agri-food Working Group, we contributed to the panel “Cultivating collaboration: Citizen science across farmland, food systems, and communities.” 

This session explored how citizen science can connect stakeholders across the agri-food sector to help transform food systems — from soil health to food waste. 

The panel highlighted approaches that build bridges between communities of practice, fostering stewardship, inclusion, and co-created knowledge in food and agriculture.

During the session, Olga Huerta, Francisco Sanz, and Alba Peiro presented updated data on citizen engagement in ECHO across the first nine participating countries, and we had the opportunity to exchange insights with related European projects.

Beyond the scientific discussions, the conference also offered the unforgettable experience of visiting a nordic country in the middle of winter, with frozen soils everywhere and including a dip in the frozen river!

The ECSA Conference once again proved to be a valuable space for sharing experiences, strengthening collaborations, and advancing inclusive citizen science in the agri-food sector that welcomes participation from all countries and citizens across Europe.