Periodic Reporting for period 1 - CARBONICA (Carbon Initiative for Climate-resilient Agriculture)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2023-01-01 al 2024-03-31
The vision of CARBONICA Excellence Hub is to become a hub for regional excellence in R&I, infrastructure, business development, and policy, aimed at reducing the carbon footprint from agriculture in the three involved place-based innovation ecosystems. Its mission is to consolidate and enhance the R&I excellence of these diverse but similar ecosystems (CY, GR, MK) to increase the acceptance of carbon farming solutions as an effective approach for transitioning to climate-resilient agriculture. This will be achieved through a collaborative model involving stakeholders from the quadruple helix within the three innovation ecosystems, supported by a joint R&I strategy that integrates the latest knowledge and cutting-edge technologies to address the challenge of transitioning to climate-resilient agriculture.
Key Objective 1: Strengthen place-based innovation and excellence in CY, GR and MK in carbon farming in order to achieve increased collective understanding and broad uptake.
The CARBONICA Excellence Hub will interconnect 3 place-based innovation ecosystems (CY, GR, MK), to include key stakeholders of the carbon farming domain across the quadruple helix and form three regional multi-actor platforms that will orchestrate collaboration.
Key Objective 2: Foster long-term cross border collaboration and strong viable linkages between the actors of the quadruple helix in the involved innovation ecosystems to motivate knowledge transfer, sharpen entrepreneurial skills and expand the collective capacity in carbon farming.
Key Objective 3: Design, validate and plan for pilots and demonstrators to underpin the development of the long-term R&I strategy and action plan.
CARBONICA Excellence Hub joint R&I strategy will define research priorities per country, theme, area of focus, present clear objectives, and joint research actions as well as guide future policies and funding initiatives.
Key Objective 4: Create business opportunities in carbon farming by bridging the gap between science and industry and establishing poles of attraction for innovators and investors and improve the uptake.
CARBONICA Excellence Hub will connect start-ups and SMEs with innovative, marketable ideas in carbon farming, with investors. Strategic connections will also be forged with mentors and new business opportunities will be explored during the business development support programmes.
The CARBONICA Excellence Hub will connect three place-based innovation ecosystems in Cyprus, Greece, and North Macedonia, while integrating into a broader European network to promote interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary collaboration in carbon farming.
Key Objective 1: Strengthen place-based innovation and excellence in CY, GR and MK in carbon farming in order to achieve increased collective understanding and broad uptake.
The CARBONICA Excellence Hub will interconnect 3 place-based innovation ecosystems (CY, GR, MK), to include key stakeholders of the carbon farming domain across the quadruple helix and form three regional multi-actor platforms that will orchestrate collaboration.
Key Objective 2: Foster long-term cross border collaboration and strong viable linkages between the actors of the quadruple helix in the involved innovation ecosystems to motivate knowledge transfer, sharpen entrepreneurial skills and expand the collective capacity in carbon farming.
Key Objective 3: Design, validate and plan for pilots and demonstrators to underpin the development of the long-term R&I strategy and action plan.
CARBONICA Excellence Hub joint R&I strategy will define research priorities per country, theme, area of focus, present clear objectives, and joint research actions as well as guide future policies and funding initiatives.
Key Objective 4: Create business opportunities in carbon farming by bridging the gap between science and industry and establishing poles of attraction for innovators and investors and improve the uptake.
CARBONICA Excellence Hub will connect start-ups and SMEs with innovative, marketable ideas in carbon farming, with investors. Strategic connections will also be forged with mentors and new business opportunities will be explored during the business development support programmes.
The CARBONICA Excellence Hub will connect three place-based innovation ecosystems in Cyprus, Greece, and North Macedonia, while integrating into a broader European network to promote interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary collaboration in carbon farming.
Work Package 1: Engagement of representatives from the quadruple helix was successfully achieved, leading to their active participation in the multi-actor platforms (MAPs). Administrative forms for MAP activities and stakeholder mapping within each ecosystem were completed. Stakeholder needs were identified through a combination of surveys and face-to-face interviews, resulting in responses from 313 individuals representing the quadruple helix across the three ecosystems.
Work Package 3: Pre-planning for pilots and demonstrators was conducted, leading to the selection of experimental sites across the three countries. Each country identified five crops for the project. A common cross-border protocol and methodology were developed, and the necessary infrastructure in the participating widening countries to implement this methodology was identified.
Work Package 4: WP4 as part of the CARBONICA project aims to support start-ups and SMEs in carbon farming solutions, fostering entrepreneurial culture, innovation, and knowledge transfer through virtual infrastructure. An acceleration program helps start-ups and SMEs develop self-sufficient business ideas.
Work Package 5: Activities under WP5 focused on enhancing stakeholder engagement and maximising project’s outreach and impact.
Work Package 3: Pre-planning for pilots and demonstrators was conducted, leading to the selection of experimental sites across the three countries. Each country identified five crops for the project. A common cross-border protocol and methodology were developed, and the necessary infrastructure in the participating widening countries to implement this methodology was identified.
Work Package 4: WP4 as part of the CARBONICA project aims to support start-ups and SMEs in carbon farming solutions, fostering entrepreneurial culture, innovation, and knowledge transfer through virtual infrastructure. An acceleration program helps start-ups and SMEs develop self-sufficient business ideas.
Work Package 5: Activities under WP5 focused on enhancing stakeholder engagement and maximising project’s outreach and impact.
Joint R&I strategy
The knowledge generated and disseminated within and beyond the CARBONICA Excellence Hub will be leveraged to promote the transformation of the R&I landscape in the three place-based innovation ecosystems, as well as within the wider European research community.
Policy recommendations
Policy recommendations will be developed to inform evidence-based, tailored, and effective policy creation based on the project’s findings. The aim is to support the broader adoption of carbon farming as a mitigation strategy towards climate-resilient agriculture.
Potential impacts
Scientific and Technological Impact
The establishment of CARBONICA Excellence Hub, which will connect three place-based innovation ecosystems in Cyprus, Greece, and North Macedonia, thus leading to interdisciplinary collaboration, knowledge exchange, and innovation in carbon farming.
The scientific strategy and core services, including capacity building and business development support, will be carefully designed to ensure effective support for innovation excellence in carbon farming.
A comprehensive assessment of current practices, challenges, and barriers to technological adoption will be conducted, enhanced by over 200 surveys and more than 60 interviews with stakeholders. This assessment will provide qualitative insights into the current state of the place-based innovation ecosystems in the context of carbon farming.
Economic Impact
Commercialisation and internationalisation of carbon farming solutions are anticipated to generate employment opportunities and attract investments.
Co-creation and validation of policy recommendations aim to drive reforms and foster an enabling business environment, thus securing increased funding for carbon farming.
Anticipated outcomes include operational sustainability for the majority of participants, job creation, reduced operational costs, connection of SMEs and start-ups to investors, and the introduction of innovative products to new markets.
The R&I strategy will outline clear focus areas, objectives, and joint research opportunities for future national and EU funding strategies.
Societal Impact
Through capacity building and educational activities, the CARBONICA project enhances social acceptance of novel technologies and increases their uptake.
The project aims to enhance quality of life, foster new job opportunities, and elevate awareness of challenges and innovations within the agri-food sector.
The project endeavours to cultivate long-term and impactful regional, national, and EU policy initiatives and funding structures, aiming to bolster the acceptance and seamless integration of carbon farming solutions into society.
The knowledge generated and disseminated within and beyond the CARBONICA Excellence Hub will be leveraged to promote the transformation of the R&I landscape in the three place-based innovation ecosystems, as well as within the wider European research community.
Policy recommendations
Policy recommendations will be developed to inform evidence-based, tailored, and effective policy creation based on the project’s findings. The aim is to support the broader adoption of carbon farming as a mitigation strategy towards climate-resilient agriculture.
Potential impacts
Scientific and Technological Impact
The establishment of CARBONICA Excellence Hub, which will connect three place-based innovation ecosystems in Cyprus, Greece, and North Macedonia, thus leading to interdisciplinary collaboration, knowledge exchange, and innovation in carbon farming.
The scientific strategy and core services, including capacity building and business development support, will be carefully designed to ensure effective support for innovation excellence in carbon farming.
A comprehensive assessment of current practices, challenges, and barriers to technological adoption will be conducted, enhanced by over 200 surveys and more than 60 interviews with stakeholders. This assessment will provide qualitative insights into the current state of the place-based innovation ecosystems in the context of carbon farming.
Economic Impact
Commercialisation and internationalisation of carbon farming solutions are anticipated to generate employment opportunities and attract investments.
Co-creation and validation of policy recommendations aim to drive reforms and foster an enabling business environment, thus securing increased funding for carbon farming.
Anticipated outcomes include operational sustainability for the majority of participants, job creation, reduced operational costs, connection of SMEs and start-ups to investors, and the introduction of innovative products to new markets.
The R&I strategy will outline clear focus areas, objectives, and joint research opportunities for future national and EU funding strategies.
Societal Impact
Through capacity building and educational activities, the CARBONICA project enhances social acceptance of novel technologies and increases their uptake.
The project aims to enhance quality of life, foster new job opportunities, and elevate awareness of challenges and innovations within the agri-food sector.
The project endeavours to cultivate long-term and impactful regional, national, and EU policy initiatives and funding structures, aiming to bolster the acceptance and seamless integration of carbon farming solutions into society.