GRASS-BASED CIRCULAR BUSINESS MODELS FOR RURAL AGRI-FOOD VALUE CHAINS

The main aim of the GO-GRASS project is to create new business opportunities in rural areas based on grassland and green fodder that will be demonstrated in four EU regions at small scale, ensuring its replicability all through the rural communities of the EU. Inside a circular system, GO-GRASS will provide a range of circular and sustainable business models with high replication potential, to be available to entrepreneurs and local authorities. The project will also demonstrate innovative cost-effective technologies, processes and tools applicable within the diverse DEMO scenarios (deploying demonstrators in different regions in EUas representative places to cover different rural contexts) considering social, economic and environmental circumstances in rural areas with the aim of achieving a large-scale replication, especially in remote areas with unexploited resources. Furthermore, the GO-GRASS project will help EU reducing imports from nutrients like P or even proteins, as well as the dependence from fossil fuels. Thanks to the GO-GRASS project, the Bioeconomy will be consolidated, harnessing regional assets, diversifying and revitalizing the economy and providing quality jobs and opportunities in rural areas. In addition, the production and use of bio-based products replacing existing fossil-based alternatives, such as fertilisers or plastic packaging, can make a considerable impact on the Agro-food systems greenhouse gases emissions at EU level. For achieving this aim, GO-GRASS consortium consists of a multidisciplinary team of 22 partners from 8 European countries (Germany, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, The Netherlands, Belgium, Romania and Hungary). The consortium is built around the four regional demos located in Germany , Denmark , The Netherlands and Sweden that integrate the multi-actor approach concept, with the expertise of multiple appropriate partners (farmers, research centres, technological companies),3 follower partners and other with transversal role