Agrobiogel is a novel soil improver that stores and slowly releases water and fertilizer. It addresses many of the pain points and challenges of modern farming, forestry, plant nurseries and green houses all over the world: (1) save up to 40 % irrigation water (2) protect plants/crops from increasing droughts and erratic rainfall patterns (3) reduce agricultural input costs (4) convert agricultural non productive soils, including 100 % sand soil, into agriculture productive soils (5) Matching the urgent desire to replace expensive non biodegradable fossil based hydrogels with much cheaper organic hydrogels (6) Agrobiogel as a product of widely under-utilised lignin produced by the Pulp and Paper industry as well as the emerging biorefinery helps create value for this raw material thereby helping them not only expand their product portfolio but also reduce their carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions.

SUSFERT addresses the massive usage of mineral fertilisers in EU agriculture, which are largely based on non-renewable resources, but are required in intensive crop production for meeting demands for food and feed. SUSFERT will develop multifunctional fertilisers for phosphorus (P) and iron (Fe) supply, which will fit into existing production processes and common EU agricultural practice. The SUSFERT innovation combines bio-based and biodegradable coatings, probiotics, the renewable P-source struvite, and nutrigels in at least four novel sustainable P and Fe fertiliser products, which may partly or fully replace unsustainable and resource-intense conventional ones. SUSFERT will test novel organic formulations, microgranules, granules, soil improvers, nutrigels and liquid fertilizer products in field trials, evaluate them regarding economic potential and environmental sustainability, ensure regulatory compliance and establish industry-scale production processes (TRL 7-8). Technological concepts include 1) probiotics based on P and Fe solubilizing Bacilli and Actinobacteria; 2) microbial siderophore (Fe chelator) produced in a demonstration plant; 3) enzymatic modification of the by-product lignin for cost effective, biodegradable controlled release coatings and product stabilization and 4) demonstration of struvite, a renewable P-source from wastewater, as a partial substitute of mineral P. Five industrial, four SME and three academic partners will contribute expertise along the whole value chain in biotechnology, microbiology, large-scale fermentation, fertiliser production and sales. We will fit the SUSFERT products into the regulatory and policy context for conventional and organic agriculture in various pedo-climatic conditions in Europe and prepare rapid market entry post-project.

TERRASAFE is a pioneering initiative envisaging to empower local communities in southern Europe and northern Africa to successfully face the escalating challenges of desertification through the adoption of nature-based, social and technological innovations. TERRASAFE’s vision will be operationalized in 5 pilot areas that share a high vulnerability to desertification but, simultaneously, represent the 4 main types of desertification (vegetation decline, soil degradation, water scarcity, and depopulation) and strongly contrast in socio–cultural-ecological circumstances. This vision is supported by a transdisciplinary consortium, ranging from universities to SMEs commercially exploiting innovations. TERRASAFE’s vision is implemented through a multi-actor approach covering all WPs, in particular by setting up 5 partnerships in the 5 pilot areas. In a co-creation process, these partnerships will then (i) define their visions on building desertification resilience and plan their ensuing TERRASAFE work; (ii) map and analyze past and ongoing desertification, identifying hotspots; (iii) evaluate and demonstrate innovations at these hotspots, comparing them with current and traditional/organic practices; (iv) elaborate policy recommendation for the wider uptake of the TERRASAFE-certified innovations, both within and beyond the pilot areas, taking into account lessons learnt from past and ongoing policies against desertification; (v) share their TERRASAFE’s experience with the other areas, other desertification-prone communities and the general public. The consortium will support the partnerships by providing not only harmonized frameworks for each activity but also advice on adapting these frameworks to their specific needs. Finally, the SMEs will provide a wide offer of innovations that they will tailor towards the respective desertification hotspots, in close collaboration with the partnerships.