The circular use of waste, by-products and residues from agriculture, forestry, and the agri-food industry can lead to the creation of new economic opportunities in rural areas. However, primary producers are often not fully integrated in bio-based value chains, and thus, benefits are not sufficiently distributed among value chain actors. In addition, actors in the bio-based economy need a specific understanding on processes optimisation and high degree of investments in innovation and technologies.
This topic addresses diverse forms of cooperation among primary producers and beyond in wider value networks as well as suitable business models to create high-value bio-based products in vertically integrated value chains via advanced biorefineries. A more efficient collaboration poses several opportunities for primary producers: a significant bargaining power as a consequence of higher production volumes, economies of scales, stronger competitiveness and better access to market, portfolio diversification in production while reducing risks and creating new economic benefits, better investment capacity due to pooling resources and control over the whole production, facilitated access to information and to new knowledge.
