Creation and promotion of Forest and Agriculture Networks to boost Bio-Based Technologies adoption and Value Chain development

Project Information

BBioNets

Grant agreement ID: 101133904

DOI

10.3030/101133904

EC signature date 6 October 2023

Start date 1 November 2023

End date 31 October 2026

Funded under

• Food, Bioeconomy Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment

Total cost

No data

EU contribution

€ 1 998 636,20

Coordinated by

MUNSTER TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
Ireland

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - BBioNets (Creation and promotion of Forest and Agriculture Networks to boost Bio-Based Technologies adoption and Value Chain development)

Reporting period: 2023-11-01 to 2025-04-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

BBioNets is a thematic network that relies on, promotes and further advances the work carried out by EIP-AGRI Operational Groups (OGs) and other types of projects, with respect to the management and/or processing of agricultural and forest biomass with Bio-Based Technologies (BBTs). BBTs are technologies or practices that use non-food feedstock, circularity principles or both to deliver diverse products.

The objective is to promote grassroots initiatives such as OGs at the heart of change, and to incite primary producers all over Europe to embrace and adopt BBTs. This will enable them to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, make better use of underutilised biomass, create new diversified incomes, reduce costs through circular practices, increase farm/forest sustainable management, and create/develop new value chains.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

M18 - BBioNets’ Methodological Approach & Progress:
The project advanced through several steps that were in no way linear, but rather circular, closely interconnected:

- 6 regional Forest and Agriculture Networks (FANs): a multi-stakeholder approach on the ground envisioned as a two-way cooperation with the consortium. Established in Ireland, Spain, Italy, Greece, Poland and the Czech Republic, they assemble representatives across the quintuple helix, with emphasis on farmers’ and foresters’ representation through individuals or associations. The FANs bring into play their local actors’ know-how and expertise of regional realities, and assist the consortium to achieve its targets both by providing actionable knowledge and validating the final results. Their well-established networks have and will continue to be used to ensure wide participation in regional activities and far-reaching dissemination of all pertinent outcomes. (https://bbionets.eu/fans)

- Bio-Based Technology (BBT) Inventory: knowledge collection, packaged in the form of an inventory that provides easy access to information on BBTs identified across EIP- AGRI Operational Groups (OGs) and EU-funded projects and initiatives. It presents farmers and foresters with sustainable alternatives to and is freely accessible on the BBioNets Knowledge Platform. (https://bbionets-platform.eu/operational-groups-inventory)

- High-level study of regional dynamics: a thorough description of a) OG-identified and locally applied BBT practices, b) awareness level in terms of available BBT solutions, their economic and environmental benefits, as well as barriers preventing their adoption, and c) regional dynamics, maturity and potential. The study is used as a baseline for project activities. (https://bbionets-platform.eu/regional-dynamics)

- BBTs Assessment tool: a proposed prioritisation of the most appropriate BBTs for each represented region, offering sustainable alternatives to farmers and foresters. The tool is closely interlinked to a) the Bio-Based Technology (BBT) Inventory, b) the high-level study of regional dynamics, c) and FAN interactions (workshops) aiming initially at the identification of regional needs and challenges, and, subsequently, the validation of the high-level study findings and proposed BBTs prioritisation. The tool is designed in a way that the more information the user provides, the more accurate the results are in terms of suggested BBT prioritisation per region. (https://bbionets-platform.eu/bbts-assessment-tool)

- 6 Roadmaps for Bio-Based Technologies implementation: 6 pathways for each FAN to follow in order to effectively and efficiently implement BBTs appropriate for its territory. Those Roadmaps are the culminating result of the previously described steps, featuring the 5 BBTs (among the top 20 prioritised per region by the Assessment tool) that could be most easily implemented at the regional level, taking into account the current regional dynamics and the characteristics of the technologies.

- Educational and Training Material: all knowledge on BBTs collected across OGs and EU-funded projects has been analysed for several BBioNets purposes, notably the Bio-Based Technology (BBT) Inventory. Based on each region’s specific needs (emerging from the high-level study of regional dynamics and FAN interactions), pertinent knowledge is to be packaged in useful and appealing material for farmers and foresters. Within the first period, 8 articles (https://bbionets.eu/press-corner-articles/) and 20 Practice Abstracts (https://shorturl.at/S2znH) have been produced.

- BBioNets Knowledge Platform: the wider public’s gateway to all BBioNets outcomes. (https://bbionets-platform.eu/)

- Standing Liaison Round Table (SLRT): a platform designed and established to go beyond individual partnerships and bring together multiple EU-funded projects. With a focus on primary producers and the circular bioeconomy, the SLRT encourages joint activities and helps participants align on a long-term strategy through a collective roadmap. This approach amplifies the impact of each project by ensuring that results reach a wider audience, enhances efficiency, and advances cross-fertilisation. (https://bbionets.eu/about-synergies-slrt/)

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

- Forest and Agriculture Networks (FANs): acting as regional AKIS knowledge hubs, they contribute to the overall aim of building a more informed, interconnected and engaged AKIS community.

- Educational and Training Material: increased knowledge of BBTs and the circular bioeconomy across society, regardless of background. Targeted and applicable information for primary producers, assisting them in making more sustainable choices.

- Bio-Based Technology (BBT) Inventory and BBTs Assessment tool: valuable resources that include cost-benefit considerations, presenting sustainable alternatives in agricultural and forestry practices.

- Standing Liaison Round Table (SLRT): a platform for long-term collaboration among projects, potentially envisioned as a Thematic Network rallying point.

- Overall strategy and dissemination/communication of the project: promotion of Operational Groups as a substantive tool at the hands of farmers and foresters to resolve pressing matters in a specific context. Enhanced visibility of the bioeconomy potential in combating desertification in forestry and agriculture and in offering employment opportunities.

- Key needs: greater transparency, clear guidelines, and focused training on economic considerations to facilitate technology uptake in the primary sector. Aknowledgement of primary producers as vital stakeholders of the current economy to be accompanied with a comprehensive educational approach integrating environmental, societal, and economic sustainability.

BBioBNets brichure - p2

BBioNets knowledge platform entry page

BBioNets brochure - p1

BBioNets two-level multi-actor approach

project logo