During the duration of the ERA-NET, FACCE SURPLUS implemented 3 joint calls for transnational research projects. While the projects from the 2nd call are at their mid-term at the moment of writing this report, therefore not having yet outstanding results to present, and the research projects from the 3rd call are currently starting, the projects from the 1st FACCE SURPLUS call, cofunded by the EU, ran from 2016 to 2019. Those 14 research projects were commonly kicked off in September 2016 at the Aarhus University in Foulum (DK), where they could use the opportunity to meet other scientists involved, as well as invited stakeholders from the industry, farmers’ representatives… A common mid-term meeting in November 2017 in Paris (FR) offered them the opportunity of continuing the networking and of discussing together of valorization strategies. The projects had their end-term meeting together in Düsseldorf (DE) in November 2018, where they could present their main results and their approaches for exploitation and dissemination. A first positive outcome of this process has been observed in the 3rd call, where, several consortia were applying for funding in order to continue the research driven in the projects from the first call. In several cases, consortia consisted of a mix of former consortia, which might be a consequence of the networking efforts under FACCE SURPLUS. Moreover, the opportunity offered to the researchers under FACCE SURPLUS to participate to important events, such as the European Biomass Conference and Exhibition (EUBCE), to present posters, lectures on their projects also resulted in building networks with other researchers, but also stakeholders, from Europe and beyond, which will result in cooperation much beyond the duration and framework of FACCE SURPLUS. It must be highlighted that the research driven in the 14 research projects from the 1st call generated an important effort in terms of dissemination as the figures communicated in their end-term reports show. Various ways of addressing stakeholders, for the monitoring of projects, but also more particularly the exploitation and dissemination of project results, have been used under the umbrella of FACCE SURPLUS: workshop, interviews, on-farm demonstrations, publications (peer-reviewed but also more “popular”), policy briefs, decision-making tools, models, conferences… Obviously the nature and structure of the dissemination activity depends on the type of stakeholder to address, as the communication must be adapted to the target audience.
