News & Events

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NEWS

InnovPlantProtect (InPP) was present at the project launch meeting BioLivingLABS - Bioeconomia ao Serviço da Sustentabilidade dos Territórios do Interior (Bioeconomy at the Service of the Sustainability of Inland Territories), which took place on October 1st at the School of Agriculture of the Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco (IPCB).

Funded by COMPETE 2023, the BioLivingLABS project, led by MORE CoLAB - Laboratório Colaborativo Montanhas de Investigação, in partnership with the InPP, the IPCB, from AQUAVALOR and the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança (IPB).

This project's mission is to add value to the low-density territories in the north, center and south of the country by demonstrating and economically boosting the work carried out by the partners - through the creation, demonstration and application of products, processes and services resulting from joint research.

Four living laboratories will be created (Living Labs) in the innovation hubs of Mirandela, Douro, Covilhã and Elvas, which they intend to promote:

  • the transfer of knowledge;
  • technology demonstration;
  • strategic roadmapping and
  • the protection of intellectual property.

BioLivingLABS strengthens the link between academia, business and society, driving innovation and sustainability.

Expected impact:
Over the course of 24 months, and with Living Labs dedicated to sectors such as olive groves and olive oil, vineyards and wine, fruit and cereals, legumes, among others, the project will contribute to:

  • increase regional competitiveness;
  • promote sustainable practices and
  • responding to the environmental, social and economic challenges facing inland territories.

More news about this new project soon.

On September 25, InnovPlantProtect (InPP) was present at the National Exhibition of Blue Bioeconomy Pact Projects, held at the Port of Leixões Cruise Terminal, for the exhibition session of the Algae Vertical project, led by PhytoBloom by Necton.

InPP, leader of sub-project 6 - Agriculture, was represented by department director Cristina Azevedo and executive director António Saraiva, who presented some of the new algae-based biosolutions that our team and partners are developing.

There were more than 300 participants and 80 entities, including companies, research centers and political decision-makers. The Opening Conference was attended by the Chairman of Inovamar's General and Supervisory Board, José Soares dos Santos, and round tables were held on the future of the blue economy in Portugal.

Algae Vertical explores the biotechnological potential of algae in sectors as diverse as food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, agriculture and energy.

Find out more about the Algae Vertical Project here

InnovPlantProtect (InPP) recently received approval for an application submitted to COMPETE2030-2024-6 - Collective Actions - Transfer of scientific and technological knowledge - BioLivingLABS - Bioeconomy at the service of the sustainability of inland territories, led by MORE CoLAB - Laboratório Colaborativo Montanhas de Investigação, Associação, in partnership with the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança (IPB), the Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco (IPCB) and AQUAVALOR.

BioLivingLABS aims to promote the economic valorization of research and development (R&D) results obtained by various institutions in the North, Center and Alentejo. To this end, it will create an experimental demonstration network, the so-called Living Labs, The project will be held in the innovation hubs of Mirandela, Douro, Covilhã and Elvas. In addition, demonstration actions, workshops, an inland innovation catalog and training on intellectual property protection will be developed with the aim of encouraging the incorporation of innovative solutions in the business sectors of these regions.

Scheduled to begin in October and lasting 24 months, the project has a total eligible investment of over 740,000 euros, financed by COMPETE2030 - Thematic Program for Innovation and Digital Transition. For InPP, this project is a strategic opportunity to strengthen its mission as a center for technology development and transfer, boosting the practical application of scientific knowledge to promote sustainable development.

This initiative confirms InPP's commitment to open and sustainable innovation, integrating science, technology and regional development to respond to the challenges and potential of the interior of the country.

EVENTS

Today, April 5, InnovPlantProtect (InPP) members had the opportunity to visit the new facilities of the collaborative laboratory (CoLAB), at the Elvas Campus of the INIAV, The 39-strong team is already at work, although some laboratory equipment is still being assembled.

The visit was attended by Isabel Rocha, vice-rector of the NOVA University Lisbon, José Pereira Palha, president of the National Association of Protein, Oilseed and Cereal Producers (Anpoc), José Rato Nunes, representing the Polytechnic Institute of Portalegre, Pedro Monteiro, president of Casa do Arroz, Tiago Pinto, secretary-general of the National Association of Maize and Sorghum Producers (Anpromis), José Maria Rasquilha, vice-president of Anpoc and president of Cersul, Pedro Viterbo, manager of Fertiprado, Domingos dos Santos, president of the National Federation of Fruit and Vegetable Producers' Organizations (Fnop), Felisbela Torres de Campos, Director of Corporate Regulation and Sustainability for Portugal at Syngenta Crop Protection, Maria do Rosário Félix, representing the University of Évora, Margarida Oliveira, deputy director of the ITQB NOVA and coordinator of the InPP working group, and Benvindo Maçãs, director of INIAV's Elvas Center, who were accompanied by CoLAB's executive director, Pedro Fevereiro.

InnovPlantProtect (InPP) will be present at the 38th Ovibeja, The event will take place from April 21 to 25, with its own stand and a program of activities to be announced in due course. On Saturday, April 23rd, at 3pm, the InPP is organizing a colloquium on the theme “Protecting crops to feed the world: from soil microorganisms to pest and disease monitoring techniques”.

The executive director of the InPP is taking part in this conference, Pedro February, who will present CoLAB, iLaria Marengo, director of the Monitoring and Diagnostics department, who will talk about remote sensing applied to crop protection, and Ricardo Ramiro, director of the Data Management and Risk Analysis department, who will address the topic of the soil microbiome.

Pedro Fevereiro is also taking part in the seminar ACOS - The Southern Farmers“ Association is organizing a conference on ”How to feed the planet?“, the theme of Ovibeja 2022, on the 23rd at 11.30 a.m., and the colloquium ”The European green agenda. Sustainability of agriculture and food sovereignty", which takes place on Friday, April 22, at 4pm. The event takes place at the Manuel de Castro e Brito Fair and Exhibition Park in Beja.

The executive director of InnovPlantProtect, Pedro Fevereiro, will take part in the next “MED às 4as” (MED on Wednesdays), on April 6, a round table organized by the MED - Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, on “The use of genetically modified plants for more sustainable agriculture”.

The session will take place in person in the Conference Room of the Mitra Campus. University of Évora, between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m., but it is also possible to attend via Zoom.

The use of genetically modified varieties is a possible solution for achieving the strategic objectives of the European Green Deal, as part of the “From Plate to Plate” and Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. However, it is still limited and remains under European legislation that does not take into account the new genomic techniques (NTG). The development of specific legislation allowing the development and use of plants subject to these NTGs would be particularly timely for meeting the objectives of the European Green Deal, say the organizers.

Find out more and meet the panel of speakers here.