The Interreg 2-seas project 'BioBoost' aimes to stimulate a biobased development in horticulture in Europe. In BioBoost triple helix partners from the Netherlands, Belgium and the United Kingdom work together to stimulate the development of a biobased economy in horticulture.
Visit www.bioboosteurope.com for more information about the project.
BioBoost addresses the need for an environmentally friendly and resource efficient economy that focuses on horticulture, by using plant resources in a more sustainable, efficient and integrated way. Although the horticulture industry presents multifaceted societal benefits, the need for transitioning towards a biobased economy has been largely overlooked so far.
There is a lot of potential, but development, testing and uptake of green innovations is slow due to the suboptimal interaction between researchers and SMEs, problematic financing and a lack of cross-disciplinary working methods and effective support strategies.
In BioBoost triple helix partners from the Netherlands, Belgium and the United Kingdom work together to stimulate the development of a biobased economy in horticulture.
BioBoost is a cooperation comprising 9 partners from the Netherlands, United Kingdom and Belgium. Leading partner for the project is the municipality of Westland (NL). All the partners are listed below.
Westland (NL), the world horticulture center and the most influential player in Greenport, characterized by innovation, sustainability and entrepreneurship. The latest innovations and developments in sustainable technology, (international) trade, energy, food and water have their origin here.
Epping Forest District Council - EFDC (UK), is a local authority situated in the Lea Valley in Essex. The area has the largest concentration of glasshouse industry in the UK. Situated near to London, the area has been at the heart of fresh food production for London for generations. As a local authority, EFDC helps to facilitate the growth of the horticultural industry in the south-east of England, including ways to maximise yields while minimising waste.
ILVO (BE), stands for multidisciplinary, independent research and specialised service provision in all fields related to agriculture, fisheries and food in Flanders. ILVO, an internationally recognised scientific institute, is part of the Government of Flanders.
ILVO’s Technology and Food Science Unit covers a wide range of subjects related to the processing of agricultural and fisheries primary products in terms of food safety, product quality and innovation, development of processing apparatus and sensor techniques. We perform applied research as well as research for service provision. Our research supports policy-making and the agricultural and processing industry, with a focus on the agro-food industry. Analyses and ring trials are done under Belac accreditation.
Inagro (BE), research and advice serves the agricultural and horticultural sector. Within its own optimised professional research infrastructure, Inagro's scientific and technical teams devise farming and cultivation techniques ready for practical use. Inagro's advisers take the new know-how to the agricultural and horticultural businesses and guide those businesses in how to implement these insights. Geographically speaking, Inagro is located in the very intensive and innovation-driven agricultural and horticultural heart of the province of West Flanders in Belgium.
NIAB (UK), is a major international centre for plant research, crop evaluation and agronomy — a unique national resource, with nearly 100 years of experience in the agricultural horticultural and food sectors and an internationally recognised reputation for independence, innovation and integrity. NIAB traditional activities have always focused on science-led plant variety and seeds characterisation, evaluation, quality control and knowledge transfer. At the NIAB-EMR site, we focus research on horticultural crops and plants and their interactions with the environment. Our research and breeding in perennial fruit crops is known internationally.
Activities for the BioBoost project are being carried out at NIAB’s Innovation Hub and at NIAB EMR.
VIVES (BE) is a University College located in West-Flanders (BELGIUM). It has 6 innovative campuses, 6 interesting fields of study, 6 centres of expertise, 1,250 motivated employees, +13,000 students, 1,000 bachelor’s dissertations annually, on assignment of the field, +100 current research projects & contracts, +150 researchers, +7.5 million euros in turnover in research and services.
In order to grow, smart ideas need interaction, impassioned dialogues, constructive conversations and a shared approach. The VIVES University College assures a constructive dialogue and successful results.
The VIVES University College has 6 centres of expertise:
- Agro and Bio Technology
- Business Management
- Education innovation
- Product and Process development
- Social innovation
- Care innovation
In 1996 Tomabel (BE) is founded as a quality label for tomatoes and has become a familiar-sounding name for high-quality fruits and vegetables.
The quality label Tomabel came in response to the large amount of bulk products that were marketed at that time.
Tomabel is the quality brand for fresh, tasty, juicy fruits and vegetables. The range of fruit and vegetables consists of Tomabel tomatoes, Tomabel strawberries, Tomabel babyleaf, Tomabel special salads, Tomabel lamb's lettuce, Tomabel mushrooms, oyster mushrooms and Tomabel chicory.
The cooperation of the connected Tomabel growers is based on a clear philosophy: the growing process is according to strict specifications which is fully quality-oriented.
Comgoed Biomass BV (NL) is located in Dirksland (Zuid-Holland-NL) and is active in the collection and processing of green waste streams. Comgoed Biomass provides three types of biomass: wood pellets, wood chips and shredded green. Clients include various industrial biomass power plants, but also customers with semi-industrial biomass plants in use such as farmers, gardeners, swimming pools, saunas, schools and SMEs. Comgoed does not only deliver in Netherlands, but also in Belgium and Germany. The origin of the biomass products are always known. The products are also accurately checked for quality.
In addition to Comgoed Biomass, Comgoed also advises and delivers in the area of soil improvement with all kinds of compost, such as green compost and organic compost. A third activity of Comgoed is the elimination and sustainable reuse of raw materials and residues; from skins of onions and broccoli stems to starch mash. A large part of this now ends up at the waste treatment facility. Comgoed is committed to providing, together with the customer, a best possible valorisation of these waste streams.
Sustainable Protein BV (NL) is a company dedicated to develop, build and operate protein plants in the Benelux. The Sustainable Protein team is specialized in developing projects with a sustainable focus in the circular economy. Over the past decade, the team has focused on the environmental sectors and developed and invested into various waste to energy as well as biomass production and trading operations.
Sustainable protein would like to have a positive impact on our unsustainable use of fishmeal and deliver natural protein for industrial agriculture, aquaculture and pet feeds. This process will start saving the fish in our seas, optimizing waste-to-nutrient (instead of waste-to-energy) and associated pollution, including greenhouse gas emissions.
Through a systematic industrialised bio-conversion process, existing organic waste nutrients are recycled and transformed by black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae into a high quality natural protein, sold for use in animal, fish and pet feeds.
This platform exists to inspire, connect and stimulate biobased initiatives within, with and outside horticulture. Our goal is to realize the most valuable possible use of vegetable residual flows. Get an overview, get inspiration, get in touch with experts, publish your own initiative(s) and attract potential business partners.