RootLinks

Primary Sector Working Group Support Project

Project details

Type of project
Coordination and Support Action
Project focus
Market, policies & awareness
Project period
1 April 2025 - 31 March 2029
Status
In progress
CBE JU Contribution
€ 2 999 661,25
Call identifier
HORIZON-JU-CBE-2024

Summary

Despite their crucial role in the circular bioeconomy, primary producers across Europe struggle with participation in the bio-based sector’s research and innovation projects due to limited access to information, low awareness about bio-based solutions, and complex financial and regulatory environment. The RootLinks project addresses these challenges by enhancing capacity-building, training and collaboration across agriculture, forestry and the blue economy. The project helps primary producers engage in research and innovation funding programmes, adopt innovative business models, benefit from them, and contribute to energy and nutrient recycling, rural regeneration and generational renewal. Through knowledge exchange and partnerships, RootLinks aims to empower primary producers, and strengthen their role in the bio-based value chains.    

RootLinks will support the CBE JU working group on primary producers tasked to address the challenges and use the opportunities of the sector.

  • Support the CBE JU working group on primary producers to co-create and implement its action plan.
  • Ensure that primary sectors benefit from sustainable, circular, and bio-based innovations with feasible business models.
  • Strengthen and support the engagement of primary producers in circular bio-based systems and value chains.
  • Stimulate cooperation between European primary producers and various sectors by providing accessible tools, methods, and formats.
  • Implement support measures from the action plan, focusing on awareness, collaboration, and capacity-building across sectors.
  • Provide training for primary producers on sustainable business models and raise awareness of the ecosystem services offered by biomass production.
  • Capitalise on existing solutions from relevant projects and initiatives to enhance collaboration and resource use. 

  • Boost primary producers’ engagement in bio-based value chains, increasing their knowledge, capacity for innovation, and access to European financial opportunities.
  • Integrate feedstock providers into innovation processes, driving rural economic growth and creating jobs through sustainable bio-based practices.
  • Support the adoption of climate-neutral, zero-pollution business models, eco-friendly feedstock practices, and regenerative methods in bio-based value chains.
  • Encourage collaborations through over 30 new project proposals and more than 150 primary sectors’ representatives in CBE JU info days through networking activities.
  • Strengthen Europe's leadership in the bioeconomy by integrating primary producers into circular bio-based value chains and improving their access to innovation capacity.
  • Collaborate with policymakers, industry, and civil society, leveraging regional initiatives, clusters, and knowledge brokers to expand outreach and participation. 

Consortium map

Project coordination

  • FACHAGENTUR NACHWACHSENDE ROHSTOFFE EV Gulzow, Germany

Consortium

  • FONDAZIONE ICONS Lodi, Italy
  • FUNDACION CIRCE CENTRO DE INVESTIGACION DE RECURSOS Y CONSUMOS ENERGETICOS Zaragoza, Spain
  • BIOECONOMY CLUSTER Nitra, Slovakia
  • S.PRO - SUSTAINABLE PROJECTS GMBH Berlin, Germany
  • LUONNONVARAKESKUS Helsinki, Finland
  • AQUABIOTECH LIMITED Mosta, Malta
  • BIOEAST HUB CR, Z. U. PRAHA 5, Czechia
  • UNIVERSITAET FUER BODENKULTUR WIEN Wien, Austria