CTA is taking part in SUSTAINCrop, a new Horizon Europe project launched to help farmers, companies and policymakers make better decisions about crops used in bio-based industries. The project held its kick-off meeting on 25 and 26 June in Brussels, where consortium partners laid the groundwork for the three years ahead.
As Europe seeks alternatives to fossil-based materials, crops such as rapeseed, sugar beet, hemp and flax are becoming increasingly important sources of renewable raw materials, although understanding their true environmental impact remains a challenge.
SUSTAINCrop will develop practical tools that make it easier to compare crop production systems and assess their effects on land use, water resources, biodiversity, greenhouse gas emissions and future market opportunities.
Cooperation between Europe and Latin America
One of the defining features of SUSTAINCrop is its strong focus on collaboration. Through Knowledge Exchange Communities established across Europe and Latin America, farmers, researchers, industry representatives and policymakers will work together to validate results and ensure the project’s outputs meet real-world needs. The project will also strengthen cooperation between between the two regions, supporting knowledge exchange and helping build more sustainable and resilient bio-based value chains.
Main project outcomes
SUSTAINCrop’s expected deliverables include:
- A geo-referenced database covering crop production systems across different regions.
- An interactive dashboard to compare scenarios and explore sustainable options.
- A digital modelling framework for assessing environmental impacts.
- Practical guidance, training materials and policy recommendations.
About SUSTAINCrop
SUSTAINCrop is a project funded by the Horizon Europe programme, coordinated by INNOMINE (Hungary). The project has a budget of €1,999,990.40, fully funded by the programme. Its goal is to develop digital tools to compare bio-based crop production systems and assess their environmental impact, supporting knowledge exchange and helping build more sustainable and resilient bio-based value chains.
The consortium is made up of 11 partners from Europe and Latin America, including: INNOMINE (Hungary, consortium leader), IFAU (Denmark), CluBE and NTUA (Greece), ZALF, inter3 and ATB (Germany), CTA (Spain), Greenovate! Europe (Belgium), INTECH/CONICET (Argentina), Universidad San Pablo de Guatemala (Guatemala) and Universidad Autónoma de Bucaramanga (Colombia).