Descrizione del progetto
Spianare la strada per una bioeconomia mediterranea fiorente
Le foreste mediterranee sono un’ancora di salvezza per le economie locali, offrendo una grande quantità di servizi e beni ecosistemici. Tuttavia, il settore è alle prese con numerose sfide, tra cui la lenta crescita della redditività del legname, i mercati limitati per i prodotti forestali non legnosi (PFNL) e la complessa interazione tra l’invecchiamento della popolazione rurale, l’abbandono dei terreni coltivabili e l’invasione delle boscaglie. E c’è anche la minaccia dei megaincendi, aggravata dai cambiamenti climatici. In questo contesto, il progetto INCREdible, finanziato dall’UE, mira a colmare il divario di ricerca e innovazione promuovendo la collaborazione tra professionisti e scienziati, nonché tra regioni diverse. Si concentrerà su PFNL chiave come il sughero, le resine, i prodotti aromatici e quelli commestibili. Questi serviranno come fulcri per raccogliere le migliori pratiche relative ai canali di produzione, trasformazione e commercio.
Obiettivo
Mediterranean forests play a pivotal role for local economies by providing a large array of ecosystem services and goods. Despite its potential, the sector is facing significant challenges at many levels, including: low profitability of slow-growing timber, niche markets for Non-Wood Forest Products (NWFPs), and a wider context of aging rural population, farmland abandonment and scrub encroachment, leading to an increase in the occurrence of megafires, which is further aggravated by climate change. A sustainable, inclusive, smart bio-based economy centred on multipurpose trees and NWFPs can be part of the solution, if triggered by an improvement in knowledge exchange channels between NWFP practitioners and scientists, and among regions.
The purpose of INCREdible is to address the existing research and innovation knowledge divide in relation to NWFP-service systems of the Mediterranean basin. In particular, INCREdible aims to link knowledge and foster collaboration among different groups of stakeholders, developing innovative business models and enhancing the expertise of rural regions towards the development of inclusive economic strategies.
To achieve these objectives, INCREdible will developan Innovation NETworks (iNets) around crucial lines of Mediterranean NWFPs: cork, resins, aromatics, and edibles. Each iNet will aim to gather best practices (both practical and science-based) related to NWFP production, transformation and trade channels. Particular attention will be drawn to cross-cutting sectorial issues such as: (i) innovative business models and value chains, (ii) innovative access to finance, (iii) innovative marketing and digital tools. Lastly, INCREdible will collect information and knowledge arising from iNets into an interregional online platform, which will function both as deposit and exchange system of information among partners, existing networks and organizations, for raising awareness of existing success cases and cross-fertilization.
Campo scientifico
- social sciencessociologygovernance
- social scienceseconomics and businessbusiness and managemententrepreneurship
- agricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesforestrysilviculture
- social scienceseconomics and businessbusiness and managementbusiness models
- social scienceseconomics and businesseconomicsbioeconomy
Programma(i)
- H2020-EU.3.2. - SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine, maritime and inland water research, and the bioeconomy Main Programme
- H2020-EU.3.2.4. - Sustainable and competitive bio-based industries and supporting the development of a European bioeconomy
- H2020-EU.3.2.1. - Sustainable agriculture and forestry
- H2020-EU.3.2.2. - Sustainable and competitive agri-food sector for a safe and healthy diet
Meccanismo di finanziamento
CSA - Coordination and support actionCoordinatore
80100 Joensuu
Finlandia