Contexte

The European bioeconomy sector generates an annual turnover of around 2 trillion euros with more than 17 million of persons employed. bioeconomy is, indeed, projected to grow at a rapid pace, playing a key role in meeting global climate targets. Having this in mind, and considering that over 15% of the current biomass feedstocks used in Europe for bioeconomy are imported from overseas, technical and sustainable strategies for year-round security supply of affordable and low-iLUC feedstocks are urgently needed to support the competitiveness of agricultural and bio-based sectors. Developing sustainable farming solutions in the primary production sector for the provision of bio-based feedstock would also help mitigate risks of land abandonment, which is occurring at an alarming rate in Europe. To this end, innovative farming systems including resilient crops would enable farmers to produce domestic and low-ILUC feedstocks replacing fallow periods of the year or in marginal land, thus turning a rural and social problem into an opportunity. Nowadays, most European cropping systems are highly simplified relying on only a narrow range of crop types. It should be recalled that almost 60% or total EU arable land is used for only 3 crops (wheat, barley and maize), while rapeseed and sunflower represent about 99% of total oilseed crops in Europe (source: Eurostat). Crop diversification is seen as a valid strategy to improve the overall sustainability of farming systems, while reducing the use of chemical inputs. Crop diversification could also restore and harnessing agrobiodiversity increasing the overall resilience of farming systems. As a result, yield stability and farmers’ revenue can be expected to significantly increase. In CARINA, we propose a portfolio of innovative crop diversification solutions including two promising easy-to-grow oilseed crops: carinata (Brassica carinata L. Brown) and camelina (Camelina sativa L. Crantz).

Objectives

CARINA  specific objectives are the following:

1. To identify and promote innovative, diversified and sustainable farming systems, including staple crops and new oilseed crops (carinata and camelina) to be developed in Europe and associate countries. (WP1)
2. To produce innovative biochemicals (monomers and polymers) from camelina an carinata for the circular bioeconomy. (WP2) 
3. To evaluate the economic profitability and environmental impacts associated to new cropping systems with camelina and carinata, which are stress-proof crops (WP3/5)
4. To provide a set of policy recommendations to promote the deployment of sustainable agricultural systems for bioeconomy (WP4)
5. Setting guidelines and identifying possible gaps for the development of new certification standard for low iLUC biobased feedstock (WP4)
6. Showcasing the replicability potential of the CARINA systems across Europe and Associate Countries (WP5)
7. Transferring the gained knowledge of the CARINA systems, with improved sustainability, at local level to farmers and primary producers (WP5/6)
8. Promoting awareness of all the actors along the value chain through their direct engagement in the CARINA social innovation (WP5/6)

Activities

CARINA started in November 2022 and is lasting 48 months. To achieve its objectives 7 interlinked workpackages (WPs) have been designed. WP1 will design and implement new site-specific primary production systems on farm-scale. The new systems will be thoroughly analysed within the lighthouses to co-create and develop innovative and sustainable technical solutions. WP2 will valorise the co-products of carinata and camelina through the extraction of molecules having different applications in the field of bioplastics, biochemicals, animal nutrition, biofuels, biostimulants and/or biopesticides. WP3 will carry out an integrated sustainability assessment of CARINA bio-based production systems, including the identification of sustainability indicators for the assessment of the economic, social and environmental impacts. WP4 will co-create a set of policy recommendations that can maximise economic, environmental and social synergies in the provision of certified low iLUC feedstock for bio-based value chains. WP5 will improve understanding of the co-benefits and potential risks, and to deliver solutions for upscaling potential bio-based agricultural production systems through a social innovation process. To achieve this objective, CARINA will establish national living labs (LLs) and organise ‘co-define challenge’ workshops within technical field visits, with the aim to co-create solutions from lessons learned, and to implement them locally to deliver tailored roadmaps and business plans. WP6 will ensure wide visibility of CARINA by setting up an effective communication dissemination strategy and, at the same time, pave the way for the exploitation of the CARINA results. CARINA will achieve this objective posing attention to cluster and create synergies with other EU initiatives with strong links with CARINA. WP7 will: (1) coordinate and supervise the project activities, ensuring quality and timing of project deliverables; (2) carry out administrative and financial management, and reporting; (3) manage contacts with the EU Commission (EC); (4) resolve possible conflicts; (5) to oversee the knowledge and innovation management activities; (6) manage the data generated by the project (Data Management Plan - DMP).