Building Global Innovators (BGI), Idanha-a-Nova's collaborative laboratory - Food4Sustainability CoLAB, Lunds University and Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT), have teamed up with the leading European food innovation initiative, EIT Food, to organise the Grow Workshops in Portugal - educational sessions to debate trends and emerging technologies in the area of sustainability in the agricultural sector.
Rethinking Farming: Soil, Ideas, and Actions
These two-module sessions aimed to rethink the practices and techniques currently used in the fields, explore new business models based on new potentials and technologies, as well as establish a network of contacts within the European sustainability ecosystem.
All farmers, producers and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) active in the primary sector of food production interested in learning about agricultural digitisation, new business models, regenerative agriculture practices, bio-economy and the role of soils and the Food Web in agriculture could register.
Grow Workshops | 06.11.2021
Module 1 - Healthy Soils
Soil plays a crucial role in the agriculture.
In order to know and act in order to preserve soils and ensure a safe and healthy food production, this session frames the evolution of soils in Europe in the next 10 years.
In this sense, the main challenges and opportunities arising from the new policies of the Common Agricultural Policy were addressed. This initiative reflects an integrated strategy that highlights the fundamental role of the vast ecosystem that begins under our feet, the food we produce, agricultural profitability and human welfare.
In this way, the plans designed by the EU are presented, in order to raise awareness of the importance of the topic and highlight the new perspective and opportunities in the new policies, namely the European Ecological Pact and the Meat to Plate Strategy.
Key-speakers
Grow Workshops | 27.11.2021
Module 2 - Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Innovation and entrepreneurship are an increasingly necessary reality in agribusiness, inserted in an increasingly interrelated value chain, whose entrepreneurial vision is essential for the development of sustainable businesses. Small and large companies are increasingly betting on innovative and entrepreneurial practices in order to survive in an increasingly competitive market.
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This action aimed to explore new business models based on new potentialities and emerging technologies in the agricultural sector, while protecting the environment and people's health.
Morning session
Aiming to strengthen and boost the national entrepreneurial ecosystem, during the morning renowned speakers addressed opportunities and strategies of the bioeconomy, interconnections between the value chain and opportunities in each element and the role of venture capital in the primary sector.
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The best methods for successful entrepreneurship were discussed: analyze the opportunities the market offers, ways to innovate, create new solutions and transform the agricultural area.
Afternoon sessions
In the afternoon, there were three parallel sessions:
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1. Entrepreneurship support platforms: initiatives and acceleration programs that allow fostering the development of new businesses in the agricultural sector.
2. Projects and start-ups with influence in the agri-food sector.
3. Workshop on ideation in agribusiness identifying opportunities and challenges that culminated with the presentation of a final pitch.
Key-speakers
