Combining bio-based products, climate resilience and biodiversity through innovative agricultural value chains
21 September 2026, Library of the Faculty of Science and Technology
8.30-13.30 at Nova University Lisbon and online at 9.30-14.30 CEST
As project MIDAS approaches its conclusion, this final event brings together key stakeholders to explore the strategic role of marginal land in sustaining Europe’s bio-based economy.
The event will follow a comprehensive value chain approach, starting with a high-level overview of European policy frameworks and the current assessment of marginal land and future scenarios across the EU. The core sessions will present concrete project results on innovative cropping systems, climate resilience strategies, and the creation of high-value bio-based products from industrial crops. The mid-morning sessions will focus on environmental sustainability, biodiversity impacts, and sustainable business models.
Finally, an international panel co-organized with related projects and initiatives, will share common ground, lessons learnt and mapping out a collective path forward for the deployment at scale of sustainable bio-based value chains for a competitive European bioeconomy.
REGISTER NOW
PRELIMINARY AGENDA
8.00 Registration of participants
8.30 – Welcome messages
Ana Luisa Fernando, Associate Professor Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa
José J. Alferesm Director NOVA FCT, Eurico Cabrita Vice-Dean Innovation and Research NOVA FCT,
Ana Isabel Ricardo Chemistry Department President NOVA FCT
The MIDAS journey: From concept to key achievements
Efthymia Alexopoulou CRES – MIDAS project coordinator
European policy overview: Scaling the circular bioeconomy and bio-based value chains
Tomasz Calikowski – EC DG RTD
May Hobeika – EC DG AGRI
Characterizing marginal land in the EU: From European mapping to local scenarios
Berien Elbersen – Wageningen University and Research
Crop optimization and resilience strategies for marginal land farming
Moderator Giorgio Testa – University of Catania
Luisa Trindade Wageningen University and Research (invited), Luca Cozzolino – CREA IT, Eleni Papazoglou – Agricultural University of Athens
Intecropping and agroforestry as innovative solutions for farming and biodiversity enhancement in marginal land – results from MIDAS case studies
Alexandro Ferreira – University of Bologna
Grounding the bioeconomy: Farmers and practitioners views on marginal land management
Moderated panel with farmers, associations, practitioners, bio-based industries, policymakers.
Moderator: Mateusz Ciasnocha – European Carbon Farmers
Christos Kavalaris (Hellenic Association of Conservation Agriculture), Yiannis Zannias (farmer, Earthworm), Piotr Jurga (Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation Poland), Almudena Olivas del Rey (Instituto Técnico Agronómico de Albacete, Spain).
11.00 – Coffee break
11.20 – Bio-based products from industrial crops and use of circular bio-based products in agriculture
Manuel Carmona Delgado – Universidad Castilla-La Mancha, followed by panel discussion with representatives of bio-based industries
Assessing bio-based value chains and sustainable business models
Iris Lewandowski, Valentin Specht – University of Hohenheim, followed by panel discussion
Fostering collaboration across European initiatives: Cross-project insights and policy recommendations
International moderated panel with related projects to discuss common ground, shared experiences and recommendations for value chain deployment at scale.
Nazaré Couto (NOVA FCT, invited), Clara Amaro (Innomine, MARGINUP! Project) Jorge Campos Gonzalez ( University of Reading SOILBIOMASS+ project) Federica Zanetti (University of Bologna CARINA project) , PHYBI Project (tba)
Concluding remarks
13.30 – Networking lunch
REGISTER NOW
