The approach of BIOVALUE project is to set-up a holistic perspective, under the “multi-actor” approach, to analyse the link between biodiversity, the agro-food value chain agents, the environment, consumer food preferences and health. By employing a bottom-up vertical approach to develop the BIOVALUE TOOL, a dynamic and customizable agri-food value chain vis-a-vis biodiversity analysis tool, the proposal tries to introduce, model, evaluate, breed, produce and spread specifically selected genetically diverse underutilized crops (cereals, legumes, leafy and fruity vegetables) and develop final marketable, certified and labelled culinary products incorporating them (dish recipes and processed foodstuff), that enhance agro-biodiversity to the applied agro-ecosystems and appeal to the consumers, securing their future market performance and concurrently, their cultivation viability. Moreover, in a modelled user-friendly ready-to-work framework, the project will produce a set of key performance indicators destined to measure policy quality and impact, environmental evolution and compliance with regulations of introducing underutilized, genetically diverse crops to the value chain and are by design expandable to further enhance biodiversity in the value chain. Ultimately, this expanding nature, is highlighted by the complimentary effects of BIOVALUE processed and unprocessed final food products and dishes such as low energy consumption, environmental cultivation resiliency to marginal landscapes and future climate, as well as nutritional and health benefits. Incorporating the market power in the whole approach, the proposal can lead towards self-supported sustainability of biodiversity in the future.

The 35 partners (half academic/private) of the International AgriLoop consortium aim to extend the agricultural production value of two major players of the global bioeconomy: EU and China, by eco-efficiently upgrading underexploited residues into a portfolio of high added-value bio-products able to generate new bio-based markets or to compete with, and gain market share of, oil- and food crops- based equivalents. AgriLoop will develop safe-and-sustainable-by-design (SSbD) bioconversion processes integrated in a cascading biorefinery approach to convert a range of agri-residues (from e.g. tomato, soy, straw, potato, brewery, oil, winery and livestock sectors) into plant and microbial proteins, polyesters and other bio-based chemicals to be used for food, feed, health and materials applications, especially by the farming sector. AgriLoop scientific and technical objectives are to i) improve the recovery of highly functional native molecules from primary and secondary residues and to tailor bioconversion schemes toward microbial proteins and polyesters, for overcoming in a balanced way the limitations related to feedstock complexity, processes eco-efficiency and end-products performances, and in parallel ii) anticipate the complex circularities of such biorefinery to comply with safe and sustainable requirements, guide scientific and technological advances of AgriLoop cascading processes toward end-products tailored to the just necessary (frugal design) and fast track their further adoption as demonstrated in upscaling selected biorefineries schemes. By strengthening EU-CN cooperation, informing SSbD guidance and opening up new avenues for flexible agri-based value chains, AgriLoop will increase resources efficiency through reduced discharges of agricultural residues, while taking share of the highly dynamic worldwide markets of alternative proteins and biochemicals (incl. biopolymers) and reducing the cost of agriculture and food system on our environment and health.

"European agriculture experienced huge changes in last decades. Adaptations to institutional and marketing changes, influenced by EU common agricultural policy, but also by societal wishes like food safety, animal welfare and the environment, require the ability to apply entrepreneurial skills as a key factor for survival. However, strategic thinking is rarely present in the farming sector. Agricultural producers focus on operational decisions taken “by the day” and often do not see the need for a long term vision for their firm. Especially the situation in less favoured regions, often in remote areas with relative small farms, is complex. To build a future in these areas asks for entrepreneurial competencies.The main purpose of the ISM+ project was to spread the idea of strategic thinking in agriculture and introduce innovative tools to support farm advisors and farmers in entrepreneurship and the strategic management process. The target groups of the project were farmers and vocational agricultural students on one hand and agricultural teachers, extension workers and advisors on the other hand.The project is based on the unique method and tool - Interactive Strategic Management (ISM), which was developed in the Netherlands and introduced in (transferred to) other European Countries like Poland, Slovenia, Lithuania and Austria. The method was used in trainings to instruct farmers, advisors and students how to prepare a successful farm strategy. The detailed aims of this ISM+ project were to:•improve entrepreneurial competencies of farmers, advisors, teachers, and agricultural students;•assess the local agricultural framework conditions by a context analysis in order to adapt the ISM method and understand the outcomes of the training process;•extend the ISM method to farmers and students in a variety of agricultural sectors (dairy, beef, pig, crop production);•make the training applicable to a larger language area in Europe (English, German, Polish, Lithuanian and Slovenian languages);•make the ISM method more applicable to market oriented development paths by adding the marketing module;•add a business planning module for economic assessment of farmer choices;•introduce the concept of networking to stimulate social entrepreneurship.The project consortium consisted of organizations in the fields of research, education, economics, know-how transfer and agro-business. Participation of the agricultural universities (Wageningen, Ljubljana and Warsaw) and the Economic Institute in Vilnius, on the one hand, and professional farmer associations (like in Klagenfurt) and extension services in all countries, on the other hand, assured smooth cooperation, innovative knowledge transfer and interaction between science and practice, which contributed to the achievement of the project objectives. The project results form a wide education platform for rural entrepreneurship: •Report from the Context analysis - about the differences in strategic choices of both farmers and stakeholders in different regions of Europe (resulted in two scientific articles and 2 articles in progress to be submitted).•IFMA publication with description of ISM+ tool and other tools all around the world.•Website ""Entrepreneurship with Vision"", devoted to Interactive Strategic Management for farming – serving as a platform for the project results and materials available to the wide public http://ism.sggw.pl/ •ISM+ tool with complete training materials (ISM+ handbook ""Entrepreneurship with Vision"", and other materials ) – is dedicated for trainings of farmers, rural entrepreneurs and advisors to work with farm strategy development. •Business planning module – it is an excel tool which helps to analyse the current farm economic situation and simulate future economic consequences for different strategy choices of farmers; •Marketing module – material for training in the area of the marketing strategy of the farm;•Guidelines for Networking methodology – serves as a guideline for trainers and extension workers in supporting networks in the agricultural sector and in implementing the networking concept in ISM trainings;•ISM training module guidelines for agricultural students – serves as curriculum for ISM sessions adjusted to agricultural students;•Book “Tools for improving entrepreneurship and communication for small scale farms” – helps to get insight into the ISM method and modules, including some examples from farms in the participating countries.The project supports the VET system in each of the participating countries and other countries, like Sweden, with the new method of training and training materials, and is also applicable at the level of agricultural professional schools. Farmers and advisors found the ISM method very interesting and innovative. The project has been stimulating and inspiring for all persons involved. We hope that our results will be useful for a wide range of beneficiaries."

The aim of the CERASOL program is to develop ceramic agglomerated powders adapted to the cold gas dynamic spraying process "cold spray" to preserve the nature and composition of the sprayed materials. The cold spray can be used in the coating and surface modification technologies but also is entering the additive manufacturing route. Its application to obtain dense for dense ceramic deposits in the sold-state requires an better understanding of deformation and adhesion mechanisms during impact and layer construction. The developments in CERASOL are based on the "design" of agglomerated ceramic powders with controlled porosity for which the degree of agglomeration as well as the size of grains and crystallites can be varied and studied on ceramics of varying hardness and toughness with potential use for various applications.

"The Partnership “Preparing for the Future” developed ethical principles for organic business and employee contexts to a comprehensive European “Code of Good Organic Retailing Practice” for the trade sector. This Code described eight criteria that determine Good Organic Retailing practices: Social Aspects, Involvement in the Organic Sector, Product Quality, Sustainability in the Shop, Sustainable Relationships, Transparency, Open Communication, and Quality Management.In order to integrate the Code’s principles in the formal training of managers and personnel in the organic retail sector, but also for a transfer and promotion to the non-organic retail sector, the e-learning course and platform “Ecoretail” has been developed. Target groups of the Code concept and the e-learning training and platform were manager and staffs in organic shops and supermarket chains, institutions of adult education, trainers and teachers, representatives and stakeholders in organic retail sector, and decision-makers in public administration. The partnership consisted of nine partners from seven countries: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Turkey. It included organic retail associations, educational institutes and universities, marketing and consulting organizations.The first result of the project presented the ""heart"" of the identified themes for a “Code of Good Organic Retail Practice”, the criteria for the eight principles of the Code in business and staff contexts, provided in all partner languages and English. The second result is based on this concept: a Curriculum with Learning Outcomes for training on the ""Code"". The third result was a print version (PDF) of learning materials and course content for training of manager and staff in organic retail on the ""Code of Good Organic Retailing Practice"" in English language. The fourth result was the English pilot e-learning course “Ecoretail” for training on the ""Code of Good Organic Retailing Practice“.The fifth result consisting of seven national versions of the e-learning course “Ecoretail” in all partner countries and languages. “Preparing for the future” provides with this results an innovative certification standard and a regarding learning offer for the integration of ethical and sustainable principles in the daily practice of organic and conventional retail."