High-quality and nutrient-rich food through biostimulants and biopesticides derived from vegetable waste (Bio4Food)
It is widely recognised that the large-scale use of persistent synthetic pesticides in agriculture poses a major risk to biodiversity and the environment. Furthermore, the public views pesticides as problematic and strives for pesticide-free products. Addressing these concerns and finding a sustainable balance between “environmentally friendly” and “profitable” crop production are challenges for farmers. In order to address the concerns of farmers and consumers, innovative solutions need to be created to secure crop yields, minimise food and crop waste, and produce vegetables and fruits with health-promoting properties.
The Bio4Food project addresses these three aspects by pursuing a crop waste recovery strategy. The project will use crop waste to produce extracts with biostimulant properties to enhance the yield and quality of crops and increase their content of the health-promoting minerals: iron, magnesium and zinc. The market opportunities of the approach are being explored to develop a roadmap for implementation in crop production and protection. The possibility of recycling waste will be assessed at the farm to food industry level, taking into account the profitability of the approach).
Project duration: 01.11.2020 – 31.10.2023
Commission grant for the co-financing (“top up”) of Cofund ERA-NETs in the research framework programme Horizon 2020 (funding period 2014-2020), within the framework of the Cofund ERA-NET CORE Organic
Funding code: 2819OE150
