About the Consortium
The consortium consists of 13 partners from 5 European countries.
Higher Education Institutions (HEI) partners comprise:
LP- Τhe Lead Partner of the project, University of Basilicata (UNIBAS)
Website: UNIBAS(unibas.it)
The University of Basilicata is an Italian Public State University.
It was founded in 1981 and started its academic activities in 1982. It is located in Potenza and in Matera, inside a region of Southern Italy - the Basilicata Region - well known for its cultural, touristic and agricultural vocation. The University of Basilicata is organized into four Departments – i.e.: Natural Sciences; Economy; Literature and Philology; and a fourth inter-disciplinary Department located in the City of Matera – and into two Schools, i.e.: the School of Engineering; and the School of Agricultural, Forest, Food and Environmental Sciences (SAFE). Scope of the work of this latter SAFE School is focused on every didactic and scientific aspect connected with agriculture, forestry, food technology and environmental management. Within the SAFE School of the University of Basilicata, a specialized research group - active from more than 35 years - covers all scientific and technical topics related to farm buildings (structure, architectural design, building material, climatization plants, energy, agricultural waste management, etc.), as well as the analysis, planning and management of rural land. This group, working at the Laboratory of Farm Buildings and Agro-forestry Land (CORTA Lab), has developed during time well-recognized scientific and technical competences in the field of analysis, planning and management of rural land, landscape and environment, GIS and spatial analysis. Also, the implementation of the concept of Circular Economy and Circular Bioeconomy in the primary sector has been studied, through the valorization of residual agricultural biomass for the production of renewable biological resources and their conversion into new added-value products in the same agricultural sector or in different industrial chains (e.g.: cosmetics; nutraceuticals; etc.). Another topic especially investigated by this group has been the scientific analysis on plastic material employed in agriculture for crop protection (greenhouse, tunnel, etc.), for soil mulching, for irrigation, etc. Relevant issues concerning the technical solutions for the post-consume collection, transportation, disposal and recycling of this material have been particularly analyzed, and relevant possible solutions proposed as well.
P2- The Agricultural University of Athens (AUA)
Website: ΓΠΑ (aua.gr)
The Agricultural University of Athens (AUA) is the 3rd oldest university in Greece.
Since 1920, the university contributes consistently and continuously to Greek and European agri-food sector development, by conducting basic and applied research in agricultural related sciences and technology.
AUA conducts 1/3 of the agricultural research in Greece. The University is situated on a green campus not far from the city centre. AUA campus is a complex of 16 buildings comprising of auditoriums, 48 fully equipped laboratories, a modern library, computer clusters and extensive agricultural facilities. AUA offers extensive research facilities in its laboratories and also in experimental farms of a total area of 180 hectares.
AUA contributions address a wide range of issues related to food safety and environmental protection significantly affecting the daily lives of Greek and Europeans citizens: food quality and safety, water resource conservation, organic farming, alternative energy sources, biotechnological applications, information, and communications technology.
AUA is represented in this project by the Laboratory of Farm Machine Systems of the Dept. of Natural Resources and Agricultural Engineering. The Dept. being one of the oldest of AUA is very well equipped and covers a wide range of topics such as electromechanical equipment of agricultural enterprises such as: energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies, microgrids, electricity distribution networks, operating systems, embedded Systems, control systems, precision agriculture systems and precision farming, electrical motors, sensors and automation, robotics, postharvest technologies, and water treatment and reuse in agriculture.
P3- The University of Lleida (UdL)
Website: University of Lleida (udl.cat)
The University of Lleida (UdL) is a public university that dates from 1297.
P4- The University of Evora (UEvora)
Website: Universidade de Évora (uevora.pt)
The University of Évora is organized into 5 schools: Arts, Sciences and Technology, Social Sciences, Health and Human Development and Nursing. It offers 37 undergraduate and 102 graduate courses.
Research and Development (R&D) covers several scientific areas through a network of 18 Research Units, all subject to international assessment, under the coordination of the Institute for Advanced Research and Training. In addition, the University of Évora has established 10 chairs in areas of excellence: Biodiversity, Renewable Energies, Intangible Heritage and Traditional Know-how, LifeSpan, City Uni-versity of Macau, High Performance Computing (HPC), CEiiA of Science and Technology Aerospace, Rui Nabeiro-Biodiversity Chair, Monte do Pasto Chair Animal Welfare-Breeding Cattle and Iberian Studies Chair, sponsored by holders of private capital.
The University of Évora is part of the National Roadmap of Research Infrastructures and has several research infrastructures in Agronomy, Biodiversity, Environment, IT, Management and Entrepreneurship, Aerospace Engineering, Solar Energy and Heritage. In recent years, the University has fostered a close bond with the community. This interaction was possible through the creation of work networks and the dissemination of knowledge, such as participation in the Alentejo Science and Technology Park (PACT), as well as through the establishment of protocols and contracts for the provision of services in partnership with companies, universities, associations and institutes.
The main areas of R&D are: Agronomy and Biodiversity; Geophysics, Environment and Landscaping; Surface Materials and Sciences; Economics and business studies; Computer Science and Software Interoperability; Social and Political Sciences, History, History of Art, Science and Culture; Aplicated math; Education; Linguistics and Literature; Health care for the elderly. The 255 running R&D projects in progress are developed through national and international partnerships, funding such as the Erasmus+ program, Life, Horizonte Europa, INTERREG, H2020, PT2020, Alentejo 2020 and also through private sponsorship.
P5- The University of Montpellier (UMont)
Website: https://www.umontpellier.fr/en/
The University of Montpellier (UMont) is the 6th largest university in France, with about 50,000 students, including 7000 coming from abroad to study in Montpellier.
With its 17 faculties, schools and institutes and 73 research structures, the University of Montpellier brings together a vast community of knowledge: science, technology, physical activities and sports, medicine, pharmacy, law, political science, economics and management. With more than 50,000 students and 4,800 staff, the University of Montpellier is now one of the largest universities in France and a founding member of the European University Charm-EU.
The UM enjoys international recognition for its training and research, which has been recognized by the continuation of the I-SITE program of excellence, and for its capacity to innovate in a wide range of scientific fields related to major societal issues, foremost among which are food safety, environmental protection and human health.... It is ranked among the top universities in the world in ecology in the Shanghai thematic rankings, in the top 200 in the general Shanghai rankings and as the leading French university among the most innovative universities in the Reuters rankings.
P6- Ente Formazione Confagricoltura (ENAPRA)
Website: Home - Enapra
ENAPRA has been the training institution for companies and for the Confagricoltura system since 1959.
ENAPRA - National Agency for Research and Training in Agriculture - is a modern structure that works for the generation and development of the knowledge and skills of operators (entrepreneurs, managers, employees, workers) of agricultural and agri-food companies and of any other body, association or organization in the sector.
ENAPRA has obtained from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry Policies, the recognition of the suitability to carry out tasks of socio-economic information and professional qualification of people who work in agriculture. In 2003, the body implemented the ISO 9001: 2015 quality certification legislation for the design and provision of training services in the agricultural sector. In 2016, the body was accredited in the Lazio Region. Today, as for over 60 years, Enapra is the training body of Confagricoltura and constitutes an important support for its development strategies through the qualified offer of tools to respond in real time to requests made by operators. In recent years, ENAPRA's technical structure is made up of professional experts who, with the support of the territorial realities of the Confagricoltura associative system and organized economic realities, are able to evaluate and analyse the training needs of companies. As a result, specific training plans are tailored.
The institution is also able to find resources and funding for the performance of activities, as well as to provide, manage, report and certify training activities. Enapra offers a wide range of training actions also in the context of projects funded by the European Union, by various Ministries and by Interprofessional Funds (in particular by For. Agri, a reference fund for the agricultural sector). In the last four years alone, Enapra has managed a volume of training initiatives for more than 2,000 companies for over 30,000 recipients. The name "Cultivating Competences" identifies the set of training activities of the Academy of Confagricoltura that Enapra contributes to creating: a place where all the components involved - from farms to organizational staff, up to elected managers - benefit from content for skills development. The Academy is structured in "Schools" referable to the beneficiaries. Each year Enapra and the experts in charge determine the programs and updates. Furthermore, Enapra uses multimedia products and distance-learning systems (FAD) included in its own e-learning platform (https://enapra.conformityacademy.it). Thanks to the accreditation with the Lazio Region, all qualifying courses are provided in the regional territory.
P7- EUROTRAINING Educational Organisation
Website: Eurotraining
ΕUROTraining is an Educational Organization of national scope, specialising in the sectors of Energy, Agriculture and Aquaculture, New Technologies and ICT, Entrepreneurship, Financial Management and Tourism.
Eurotraining aims to satisfy the needs of enterprises, bodies & organizations both in the public and the private sector and addresses the labour potential of target groups who wish to upgrade their qualifications and abilities. Key Activities of the organisation are modern vocational training programs (blending learning using ICT), web-based Learning Management Systems, human resources training seminars, Inter-entrepreneurship training seminars. ΕUROTraining has certified branches in three major cities of Greece (Athens, Thessaloniki, Volos) with 10 teaching classrooms, 7 IT Laboratories, specialized and accessible equipment , libraries with Internet access, child care facilities and sophisticated evaluation system of training tasks.
P8- Unione delle Province d’Italia (UPI) Puglia
Website: homepage (upipuglia.it)
UPI Puglia is a public body founded in 1954 as a private, non-profit association and whose members are the provinces of the Apulia Region.
It has its registered and operational headquarters in Bari – Italy. UPI Puglia represents the collective interests of its associates' populations and territories in their dealings with the European Union, the National Parliament, the Government, the Region and any other local institutions.
UPI Puglia mission is to:
- Promote and strengthen the activities of its associated members.
- To make proposals on institutional problems, political-administrative, economic, social and cultural insistent in the region.
- Carries out coordination of initiatives for inter-provincial and wide-area social and economic development programs and plans, land development and environmental protection, as well as administrative assistance and advice to its Associates.
The association endorses initiatives between its members and state, regional, sub-regional and local bodies, civil society, trade associations, trade union and social associations on all issues of territorial character, of regional and national level relevance.
Participates to the implementation of projects founded by regional national and European Programme and implements coordination activities with other regional Unions and with the national UPI in order to contribute to the growth of a federal organization that is both region-based and unitary.
The latest European projects where UPI Puglia is currently participating are:
- PORTOLANES- Sustainable development of nautical tourism and enhancement of small ports of the ionian sea - Interreg GREECE -ITALY Programme
- SUSWATER- A common cross-border strategy for the prevention of seawater intrusion in coastal aquifers and the integrated management of their adjacent ecosystems – Interreg GREECE ITALY Programme
- MeDInno- Joint development of innovative processes and products based on local dairy and meat tradition pertaining to ruminant farming and relevant agri-food sectors - Interreg GREECE ITALY Programme
- REGLPORTS- Nautical tourism development and promotion of regional ports Interreg IPA CBC ITALY-ALBANIA-MONTENGRO Programme
P9- The Intermunicipal Community of Central Alentejo (CIMAC)
Website: Home - Comunidade Intermunicipal do Alentejo Central (cimac.pt)
The Intermunicipal Community of Central Alentejo (CIMAC) is a public entity congregating the 14 municipalities of the Évora District, with about 170,000 inhabitants, in a territory of 7400 km2, corresponding to the Level III Territorial Unit (NUT III) of the Central Alentejo.
The responsibilities and functions of CIMAC include:
- Ensuring the articulation of actions between the municipalities and the services of the Central Administration;
- Promoting the planning and management of the economic, social and environmental development strategies of the territory covered, including issues related to biodiversity and climate change.
CIMAC with its territorial scope aims the accomplishment of common interest of its 14 municipalities, therefore develops projects in such fields as environment and territorial development, promotion of tourism and culture, sports, training, territorial management, mobility, energy, GIS, among others, always with the intermunicipal cooperation focus. CIMAC has more than 20 years of experience in the participation and coordination of several national and international projects with a team of collaborators that ensures its development and comprises the necessary skills, both for the physical and financial execution of the presented project.
P10- The “Institouto Agrotikis kai Sinetairistikis Oikonomias” (INASO- PASEGES)
Website: http://www.inaso-paseges.gr
The “Institouto Agrotikis kai Sinetairistikis Oikonomias (INASO – PASEGES)” is a civil nonprofit organisation, established in 2005 in Athens by PASEGES.
The scope of INASO-PASEGES is the study, research, documentation of issues of interest to cooperative enterprises of all levels. Implements national as well as European and international programs aimed at promoting and developing the rural and cooperative economy at regional, national and European level.
It is a partner in Programs such as Horizon 2020, BBI, the object of which is mostly research, demonstration actions and dissemination of project results, ERASMUS+ which aim to create appropriate tools for the education and training of related professionals with the agricultural sector, through extensive research and needs assessment and LIFE+ which are mainly programs related to the environment and climate. All in collaboration with Universities, Research Centers and agricultural cooperatives / farmers. In addition to the above actions, it actively participates in the organization of educational workshops both in Greece and abroad, information days, conferences and at exhibitions at national and international level.
The implementation of the projects that participates is always done with the participation of Agricultural Cooperatives whose activities are related to the requirements of the projects.
P11- The Catalan Agriculture Cooperatives Federation (FCAC)
Website: www.cooperativesagraries.cat
FCAC is a SMEs association of agricultural cooperatives located in Catalonia (Headquarters in Barcelona and Lleida) founded in 1983.
FCAC is a member of Spanish Agrifood Cooperatives (CAE), and CAE is a member of COPA-COGECA (European farmers and agricooperatives). The main objective of FCAC is to defend the interests of cooperatives and also defend the cooperative model and give services to their affiliate cooperatives. FCAC provides advice and all kinds of services that cooperatives need to operate and improve their competitiveness. There are currently almost 200 associated cooperatives. These cooperatives represent a turnover of about 1.739 million Euros, comprising some 28,829 members (Producer members of first-degree cooperatives and AST). These cooperatives bring together and put on the market all kinds of farm production from their associated producers: fruits, vegetables, cereals, wine, nuts, olive oil, milk, pork, beef and other.
FCAC main activities are focused on agriculture advice, financial and tax services, legal advice, training courses, advice on grants and subsidies, and also the support and the enhancing and execution of R & D projects by the affiliate cooperatives and even by itself as a non-profit organization. There is a multidisciplinary team of agronomists, economists, lawyers and other professionals.
Other R&D European projects linked to bioeconomy in which FCAC has previously participated:
- AgriMax: Valorisation of agricultural by-products through biorefineries. http://agrimax-project.eu/ (Horizon 2020-BBI);
- Savasco: Structuring a cross-border sector for the valorization of corn stalk and sunflower for construction products.
https://www.savasco-poctefa.eu/en (Poctefa-Interreg)
Other regional projects in the bioeconomy area in which FCAC has participated:
- AgroBioFood Ponent: Consolidate the transformation of the current economic model of Lleida’s area towards a green economy, throughout highly specialized, open, systemic and collaborative innovation involving public local entities, research centers, farmers associations and community associations.
https://promocioeconomica.cat/pect-agrobiofood/ (EU FEDER and Catalan FEDER 2014-2020).
- SACS: Sustainable innovations for the development of textile bags for ornamental horticulture and gardening applications. Selection of substrates and species.
https://grupsoperatius.cat/fitxes/2017_2_11.pdf (EIP-AGRI Operational Groups)
P12- Associação dos Jovens Agricultores de Portugal (AJAP)
Website: AJAP – Associação dos Jovens Agricultores de Portugal
The Association of Young Farmers of Portugal (AJAP) was first created in 1983, in order to raise rural businessmen awareness about the importance of the associative movement and to represent the young Portuguese farmers within and beyond borders.
AJAP is a private non-profit organisation and has legal personality with public utility and with a NGOD (Non-Government Organization for Development) status.
AJAP has 13, 000 associated persons, who represent the best we can find in Portuguese agricultural business structure.
In order to develop and stay close to local realities, AJAP has created, and keeps creating several delegations in Portugal.
In Europe, AJAP stands in CEJA - European Council of Young Farmers and Euromontana, which is the only Portuguese institution that represents, at a European level, the mountain farming. CEJA represents over a million young farmers all over the European Union.
AJAP has been developing, since 1988, a great effort in the domain of Training with several actions of qualification and specialization, not only for farmers and young people, but for technicians as well.
Presents other lines of action in favor of the rural world, technical assistance in the context of integrated production and organic farming, elaboration of investment projects.
Fields of action: technical assistance (focus on Integrated Production and Organic Agriculture), Training, Cooperation and Studies/Research.
It has developed individually or as a partnership manager, in projects of extreme relevance, leading to the acquisition of data information, studies and technology with an impact on the development of rural territories.
P13- Institució de Ponent per la Conservació i l’Estudi de l’entorn Natural (IPCENA)
Website: https://www.ipcena.net/
IPCENA is a non-profit association dedicated to the study and conservation of natural heritage, with the aim of disseminating its values and raising awareness in society.
We also fight against methods that violate regulations and generate serious environmental impacts.Founded in 1990, it belongs to the Federation of Ecologist Organisations of Catalonia and the organisation's activity focuses on the defence of nature through environmental impact studies, the preparation and review of environmental management projects and environmental education in educational centres. At the same time, it promotes the consumption of organic products through Fira Natura, the second largest fair dedicated to the promotion of organic agriculture in Catalonia. We produce and publish several publications, including the Guide to the nature of Catalonia and the Guide to the nature of the Pyrenees from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean Sea.