Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - AGRIFORVALOR (Bringing added value to agriculture and forest sectors by closing the research and innovation divide)

Teaser

AGRIFORVALOR’s vision is to connect a range of stakeholders in order to achieve new value chains, and stimulate biomass sidestream market uptakes into value-added products.In order to achieve this AGRIFORVALOR will close the research and innovation divide by connecting...

Summary

AGRIFORVALOR’s vision is to connect a range of stakeholders in order to achieve new value chains, and stimulate biomass sidestream market uptakes into value-added products.
In order to achieve this AGRIFORVALOR will close the research and innovation divide by connecting practitioners from agriculture and forestry with research and academia as well as with (bio)–industry and other intermediaries in multi-actor innovation partnership networks in order to valorize and exploit sidestream biomass resources from agriculture and forestry. These innovation partnership networks are managed by three Biomass Innovation Design Hubs, piloted in south of Spain (Andalucia), Hungary and Ireland. In each of these hubs, existing research results and good practices on valorization of biomass sidestreams will be shared and matched with the specific needs and potentials, new grass-roots ideas collected and developed and dedicated innovation support applied to further deploy selected topics which are dealt with by multi-actor innovation partnership groups.
AGRIFORVALOR will give a significant input for achieving a Bioeconomy in the frame of a circular economy. Through dedicated trainings for further exploitation of research and innovation results and coachings for business model development AGRIFORVALOR will deliver case studies on how to effectively and economically exploit and valorize sidestream resources as new income models for practitioners as well as for rural regions.
Through a central communication platform all practical results are compiled in ab easily accessible way and easy-to-read end-user materials for practitionerscan be downloaded and hence a quick and vast capacity building and spillover effect to other multi-actors in EU will be achieved.

Work performed

The biobased economy is seen by many as a future base for a sustainable society and economy. New innovative techniques, partnerships, businesses and policies are being developed, replacing fossil based fuels and materials with renewable materials. Biomass, as renewable and abundant resource, has many direct and indirect applications for food, feed, fuels, fertilizers, chemicals and materials.
AGRIFORVALOR focusses on the valorization potential of biomass sidestreams by facilitating innovation partnership networks aligning multi-actors from primary sector (agriculture and forestry) with the business and research community. By applying a bottom up approach needs from practitioners and grass root ideas will be captured and tailored support offered by AGRIFORVALOR in order to close the research and innovation divide.
The focus of the project is on the transfer of know-how and information to enable and support farmers and foresters to exploit existing research results and the facilitation of business model development for new bio-industry start-ups.
Practitioners are united in three Biomass Innovation Design Hubs, piloted in Spain (Andalucía), Hungary and Ireland. In each of these hubs, existing research results and good practice cases on valorisation of biomass sidestreams from agriculture and forestry are shared and matched with the specific needs and potentials; new grass-roots ideas collected and developed; and dedicated innovation support applied to further deploy selected topics which are dealt with by multi-actor innovation partnership groups. AGRIFORVALOR was succesful in submitting 7 multi-actor innovative projects to regional EIP-AGRI open calls. These include 1 in Andalucia, 1 in Hungary, and 5 in Ireland. From these applications 3 have have been sucessfully funded.
Funded projects:
(1) Biochar for Farm Bioeconomy (IE): The group received funding of €995,000 from 2017 phase 2 application. The group includes The Irish Biochar Co-operative, University College Dublin, Premier Green Energy and Ibec (AGRIFORVALOR partners)
(2) Small biorefinery (IE): Aim is to demonstrate a small-scale grass biorefinery that could be integrated widely into traditional Irish agriculture. The initiative involves a fresh grass biorefinery model which attempts to improve the usable protein per hectare of grass whilst helping farmers to diversify their product base. Monogastric animal feed is produced, in addition to an optimized cattle feed which each animal receiving the grass protein fraction that they utilise most effectively. Thr group includes Carbery Food Ingredients (Farming Co-op), Barryroe Co-op, Institute of Technology Tralee (AGRIFORVALOR partner), University College Dublin, University College Cork and GRASSA B.V., Funding: €941,000.00.
(3) Biofertilizers from the washing sludge of olives and oil (oil mill rafts) and litter (ES): Applying innovative techniques of composting and vermicomposting, to achieve a high quality, economical organic fertilizer that can be obtained and used in all types of agriculture. The group includes Cooperativa San Isidro de Loja, SCA, Cooperativas Agroalimentarias de Andalucía (AGRIFORVALOR partner) and the Andalusian Council of official Colleges of agricultural technical engineers. Funding: €176,688.

In the AGRIFORVALOR project an overview of valorisation techniques and good practice cases is made facilitated through the sidestream value tool (www. agriforvalor.eu/sidestreams), making this information easily available for stakeholders such as foresters, farmers, the biomass processing industries, the bio-energy sector but also for the research sector. This tool will be made publically available 2 years after the project\'s end.

Final results

\"AGRIFORVALOR delivers an added value to the primary sector and to the Bioeconomy community in total as it deals with biomass sidestreams (Bioeconomy 2.0) which are non-food nor feed competitive. AGRIFORVALOR has developed end-user materials and tools for farmers and foresters enabling knowledge transfer and capacity building. Hence farmers and foresters are better enabled to become active partners in the biomass sidestream value chains. Through this disclosing of the vast reservoir on knowledge and good practices cases available, AGRIFORVALOR has delivered a great impact on awareness raising, networking and innovation especially in the hubs.

• Brochure on best business model cases incl. methodology for farming/forestry sector
• Publishable summary on regional innovation and business case studies
• E-guidelines for mentors
• E-magazine on RDI results
• Final innovation toolbox
• Hands-on e-guideline on how to set-up multi actor innovation networks and projects
• Need / barrier analysis for bio industry start-ups
• Popular article: Potential of biomass sidestreams for a sustainable biobased economy
• Recommendation for a European Research and Innovation agenda
• Weighting of sustainability by doing a Multi Criteria Analysis

As well as an open source publication was achieved under Ingenta connect: http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/sil/impact/2018/00002018/00000005/art00021

Moreover, 22 dissemination press releases and 49 communication press releases were published and 30 external events with an active role were attended at.
117 RDI results are displayed via the Sidestream Value Tool (www.agriforvalor.eu/sidestreams).


This will contribute significantly to achieving the vision of “Connecting multi-actors\"\" in order to achieve new value chains and stimulate biomass sidestream market uptakes into value-added products in Europe.

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Website & more info

More info: http://www.agriforvalor.eu.