Agrochemicals are chemical products used in agriculture such as fertilizers, plant-biostimulants or pesticides. The application of fertilizers in synergistic combination with biostimulants provides the nutrients required for enhancing the crops yield, while pesticides are used to reduce the risk of loss from plant diseases and weeds on agricultural production. Today, the agricultural sector faces several challenges, namely: - Loss and leaching of fertilisers: Effectiveness of fertilisers must be enhanced through controlled delivery of nutrients ingredients to enhance their availability to the plants for longer periods. - Large amounts of pesticides used: It is necessary to reduce the use of pesticides, increase the selectivity and avoid pest resistance. - Bioaccumulation and bioconcentration: It is necessary to avoid soil and groundwater accumulation and bioconcentration in the flora and fauna. - Highly dependency of water availability: An increase of water use efficiency and water management is essential due to water risks. In this context, nano and biotechnology strategies have recently gained more interest in the agricultural sector compared to conventional agricultural techniques. AGRO4AGRI seeks to provide ground-breaking and Safe and Sustainable by Design solutions for plant nutrition and protection consisting of nano and biobased controlled delivery fertilisers and plant biostimulants, and target-specific biopesticides based on RNAi technology, both for enhanced agrochemicals use efficiency. AGRO4AGRI involves R&D and validation stages, aiming to minimize in the long term the use of agrochemicals in agriculture in more than 50% to be aligned with the Farm to Fork Strategy, among other EU initiatives. Further project developments include the evaluation of safety, social and economic impacts, activities to promote society and policy makers engagement to bring wider impacts and better fulfil EU targets and position Europe at the forefront of the agroindustry.

United Circles project will demonstrate, with 46 partners across 14 countries + 1 international body, three Industrial-Urban Symbiosis value chains, to upcycle of urban Food Waste, urban Wastewater Solids, and urban Construction & Demolition Waste (C&DW). To close urban and industrial water loops to reduce freshwater use in drought prone regions, and integrate energy co-generation technology in upcycling pathways. Made possible by advancing innovative technologies from TRL5 to TRL7 in combined integrated value chains, to enable zero waste cities and a decarbonised Process Industry. The value chains cover collection, sorting, upcycling and production of new upcycled products. To demonstrate how: 1) a demolish building’s C&DW can be transformed into a new 2 storey 3D printed building with upcycled low-carbon cement, cement bonded particle boards, and insulation foam; 2) a waste-water treatment plant can become a resource recovery centre for all materials, water and energy, in an integrated manner. By supplying high quality gas to the local gas grid, by providing upcycled cellulose as industrial feedstock to pulp & paper industries, and by providing clean water and fertilizer for agriculture; 3) food waste in the form of used cooking oil can be upcycled in a first application of 2nd generation biorefinery to create novel fully biodegradable and food waste origin bioplastic products for complete replacement of fossil fuels. The United Circles 3 value chain demonstrators will each be integrated in a Hub 4 Circularity, that will underpin their Industrial-Urban networks governance and evolution, using advanced governance frameworks, feasibility towards financing methodologies, digital tools, social and environmental innovations, and a material and products observatory. The H4C in the proposal will enable business to territory plans, with their regional stakeholder network, that seek to expand the demonstrator integrated technologies to higher TRL levels.