Conference Agenda

Food system resilience has become an increasing concern in the context of climate change, geopolitical instability, and global food supply chains disruptions. In Mediterranean countries, the Mediterranean diet is widely promoted as a healthy, environmental and culturally rooted dietary model, yet its compatibility with national agricultural resources remains insufficiently explored. This study assesses whether Portugal’s farmland could support a Mediterranean dietary pattern food demand. Recommended consumption levels from Portuguese food-based dietary guidelines were translated into primary agricultural products’ quantities. Land requirements were estimated using current crop yields and livestock production coefficients, accounting for feed needs, including agricultural by-products’ potential use. The estimated land demand was compared with the current Utilised Agricultural Area (UAA) and national production patterns. Results indicate some structural mismatches between domestic land resources and the requirements of specific food groups, particularly those associated with feed-dependent livestock systems, with high import dependency, such as high-protein animal feed, especially soy meal. The analysis also highlights the role of pasture-based livestock systems in valorizing marginal land and converting non-edible biomass into food, as well as agro-industrial by-products’ potential to improve resource efficiency. These findings contribute to discussions on food system resilience and circular resource use in Mediterranean agricultural systems.

The development of advanced biofertilisers from renewable energy systems represents a strategic pathway towards circular nutrient management. This study evaluates the agronomic performance of biofertilisers derived from a photosynthetic biogas upgrading process—digestate, slurry, and microalgal biomass—compared with mineral fertilisation and an unfertilised control in Hordeum vulgare cultivation.

A field strip experiment (9 × 65 m) was conducted under equivalent nitrogen application rates (108 kg N ha⁻¹). Crop performance was monitored using UAV-based NDVI imaging at two phenological stages, and grain yield was determined at harvest.

Mineral fertilisation achieved 1971 kg ha⁻¹, while digestate reached 1394 kg ha⁻¹, outperforming slurry (1250 kg ha⁻¹) and microalgal biomass (721 kg ha⁻¹). All biofertiliser treatments improved yield relative to the unfertilised control (688 kg ha⁻¹), demonstrating their agronomic functionality. The superior performance of digestate over slurry indicates enhanced nutrient bioavailability resulting from anaerobic digestion. NDVI trends were consistent with final yield data, confirming the reliability of remote sensing for digital crop assessment.

These findings demonstrate that process-upgraded biofertilisers can enhance nutrient efficiency and support the technological transition towards circular, low-impact cereal production systems.

The transition towards a circular bioeconomy requires improved knowledge exchange and access to practical solutions, particularly for small farms and forestry actors operating in rural areas. The thERBN project establishes a European multi-actor thematic network aimed at identifying, systematising and disseminating innovative circular bioeconomy practices related to the management and valorisation of agricultural and forestry by-products and residues. Through a participatory and bottom-up approach, the project engages practitioners, researchers, advisors, innovation brokers and other key actors within Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS). Existing solutions originating from farmers and foresters, Operational Groups, and national and European research projects are collected and analysed and then translated into practice-oriented knowledge materials designed to facilitate adoption by practitioners. Knowledge exchange is further supported through demonstrations, training activities and cross-regional collaboration across Europe. A key component of the initiative is the ERBN platform, a digital environment that allows stakeholders to register, create profiles, appear on an interactive map, collaborate with other users and access or upload knowledge resources. The platform aggregates materials such as factsheets, practice abstracts, scientific papers, tutorials and business model blueprints, contributed by projects and Operational Groups, and relates to EU-FarmBook to ensure long-term accessibility and wide dissemination of bioeconomy knowledge.

Using narrower and taller compact beds instead of conventional raised beds may provide a pathway for sustainable intensification of plasticulture by reducing inputs of water, fertilizer, and plastic while maintaining yield. Compact beds with top widths of 41–64 cm and heights of 25–30 cm were evaluated against a conventional bed (width 91 cm, height 20 cm) on a commercial watermelon farm in Florida over three growing seasons. Compact beds maintained or significantly (α = 0.05) increased yields compared with the conventional system even when fertilizer inputs were reduced by 12%. This improvement could increase revenue by approximately $235,000 for a medium-sized farm of 100 ha. Reduced bed width allowed plastic mulch width to decrease from 168 cm to 137 cm, lowering material use. Soil moisture monitoring indicated that compact beds maintained more optimal moisture conditions, particularly near bed edges, suggesting potential for reduced irrigation. Across seasons, reductions in fertilizer and plastic inputs translated to savings of approximately $29,000–$37,000 per 100 ha and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by about 670 kg CO₂e ha⁻¹. Following the first season, the collaborating grower reduced irrigation by 40%, invested in equipment to form compact beds, and began transitioning to controlled-release fertilizers.

Artificial intelligence and big data analysis offer new opportunities to accelerate environmental assessments in biobased production systems. This work presents JASON, an AI-powered environmental impact assessment tool built on a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) framework. JASON leverages extensive datasets derived from scientific literature, LCA studies, and technical documentation to estimate the environmental footprint of small and medium-scale bio-based production systems. The objective is to significantly reduce the time and resources required for environmental impact assessment while supporting more informed decision-making in circular bio-based value chains.

Starting from a baseline description derived from user inputs and supporting documents, JASON combines contextual machine learning with structured datasets describing production processes to identify comparable systems in scientific and technical sources. It extracts key information such as functional units, system boundaries, and life cycle inventory (LCI) data, which are complemented by emissions and characterisation factors from LCA databases, along with impact methods. JASON generates LCIA-based estimates of environmental impacts across categories. The resulting environmental footprint data can be integrated into blockchain-enabled Digital Product Passports, allowing transparent recording, sharing, and updating throughout the product life cycle.

The approach demonstrates the potential of AI-driven LCIA to deliver scalable, accessible environmental assessments of bio-based products.

Efficient mechanical processing of lignocellulosic biomass is essential for valorising paludiculture crops such as Reed Canary Grass (Phalaris arundinacea), yet the axial evolution of flowability during twin-screw extrusion remains insufficiently understood. This study investigated spatial changes in bulk flow behavior and structural transformation of Reed Canary Grass along a pilot-scale twin-screw extruder. Samples were collected from seven axial positions, covering feeding, compaction, defibration, and reverse zones. Bulk mechanical properties were quantified using ring shear testing, including consolidation stress, unconfined yield strength, flow function coefficient, bulk density, and friction angles. The results showed a transition in material behavior along the screw axis. In the feeding and early compaction zones, high unconfined yield strength (10–14 kPa) and low flow function coefficient values (~1.5) indicated highly cohesive behavior caused by fibre entanglement. In mid defibration zone, yield strength decreased by approximately 70%, while flowability increased, with flow function coefficient values reaching ~4.6. Bulk density increased from 98 to 167 kg·m⁻³, indicating progressive consolidation and fibre fragmentation. In the final reverse zone, maximum bulk density (~187 kg·m⁻³) and moderate re-cohesion suggested re-compaction before discharge. These findings give insights into biomass defibration mechanisms and support improved screw design and predictive modelling for continuous biomass processing.