A practical snapshot of soil vitality
Soil Vitality Index (SVI)
The Soil Vitality Index (SVI) is a new, open and transparent framework for evaluating the functioning of soil microbiology. As a work in progress, it does not claim perfection, but seeks to balance practicality with scientific rigor, evolving over time into a more robust and widely applicable tool.
01.
Why this matters
There is no default framework to evaluate soil vitality: existing solutions are too complex, costly, or unreliable. This gap hasn’t helped bring soil microbiology into the heart of farming as much as it should.Meanwhile, a proliferation of frameworks, indexes, and labels claiming to define “regenerative farming” focus on practices rather than outcomes, creating contradictions and confusion. Worse, some organizations design their own frameworks to justify a price premium — a confusing and ultimately unethical move.This only dilutes regeneration instead of driving it forward. It’s time for a clear, outcome-based approach to soil vitality.
02.
Applications
The SVI is a flexible tool that can support a wide range of needs. It can guide day-to-day land and soil management decisions, provide a way to track changes in soil vitality over time, and bring clarity where practice-based checklists have failed. By putting outcomes at the center, it enables different actors — from the field to the marketplace — to ground their choices in real evidence.
03.
Current status
The draft white paper is currently under review by scientists and agronomists worldwide. In parallel, field calibrations are underway to ensure the index is fully adapted to real-world conditions.
The Building Blocks of Soil Vitality
How it Works
The SVI uses microscope observations scored on six biological metrics.
Bacterial diversity
Bacterial abundance
Fungal diversity
Fungal abundance
Protozoan diversity
Trophic interactions (protozoa + nematodes)
The SVI Score
| Score | Rating | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10 | Degraded | Poorly functional food web |
| 11–15 | Transition | Early signs of vitality |
| 16–20 | Functional | Active, balanced food web |
| 21–30 | Highly Living | Diverse, robust soil life |
Our key challenge
As the Index evolves, our biggest challenge is keeping the balance: rigorous enough to be trusted, simple enough to be used. We’re not looking for more debates about the problem — we want sharp ideas that move us forward. Make the science stronger without burying it in complexity, or make it easier to use without diluting the science. In short: bring solutions, not headaches.
Who we are
Adam Cobb (Holobiont Hub)
Triin Savet (Pachalab)
Sebastien d'Ursel (Pachalab)
Tanja Dekker (Festina Lente)
(more names to come)JOIN US
We need to build this together. More contributors, more perspectives, more usage, more impact.
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Help us refine and scale the Index.
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