The acceleration of transition to a bioeconomy in horticulture
BioBoost, funded by the EU Interreg 2 Seas programme, is focused on using and reducing waste from fresh produce. Crop bi-products and waste crop materials are used as feedstocks for new higher value end-products, which otherwise would be wasted or used for lower value products. At the Eastern Agri-Tech Innovation Hub we are looking into more environmentally-friendly solutions to minimise the impact of waste on our environment and improve the sustainability of production methods. This three and a half year project includes scientists from industry and academia in The Netherlands, UK, and Belgium, seeking to learn from each other's innovations and to progress the best solutions through to the marketplace.
NIAB, together with the project partners, is seeking to accelerate the transition towards a more circular bioeconomy by implementing regional test and pilot projects for the development of new techniques, methods and products in the horticultural sector and supporting their development towards market-uptake. We will support SMEs towards the development of innovations and to accelerate their entry to the market. This collaborative project is co-ordinated by our Dutch colleagues in Westland in the west of The Netherlands.
Resources
Lydia Smith explains how NIAB has been involved in the BioBoost project. She talks to the site manager of a commercial nursery and discusses if the green pesticide options are making a difference.