From 25–26 November 2025, the Waste4Soil Consortium gathered in Ravenna, Italy, for a two-day project meeting hosted by the Emilia-Romagna Living Lab partners: LegaCoop Agroalimentare, the University of Parma, Confagricoltura, and Amadori.
The event brought together partners from across Europe to assess project progress, visit key field sites, and jointly plan the next phases of work in support of innovative soil health solutions.
Strengthening Collaboration Across Work Packages
The meeting opened with a warm welcome from the hosting team, led by Enrico Pietrantonio, followed by introductory remarks from Project Coordinator Kyriakos Panopoulos.
Work Package leaders presented their updates and upcoming activities, providing valuable insights into current developments across the consortium.
In the afternoon, the General Assembly convened to review deliverables, project governance, and strategic priorities. The day concluded with a joint dinner, providing an excellent opportunity for informal networking and knowledge exchange.
Field Visits Highlight Innovation in Waste Valorisation
On the second day of activities, Waste4Soil partners visited two key residue providers in the Emilia-Romagna region:
- Fruttagel, a cooperative specialising in the processing of fruits, vegetables, cereals, and legumes, contributes protein-rich by-products from soybean processing.
- Amadori Group, one of Italy’s leading agri-food companies, provides protein by-products from poultry carcasses and sludges from bio-digestate.
These visits showcased practical approaches to sustainable production, resource valorisation, and innovative soil and waste management in the region.
In addition, a workshop on circular business models and results exploitation allowed Soilfood to evaluate its business case, mapping which side streams are suitable for sustainable solutions and how they can be applied in real-world operations.
The project highlighted the diversity of side streams and the challenges farmers face across Europe. While wine production residues are significant in Southern Europe, they play a smaller role in the Nordics — illustrating both regional differences and shared challenges in circular agriculture.
Key Outcomes
The Ravenna meeting delivered several important takeaways:
- Strengthened collaboration between Work Packages and Living Labs
- Insightful field demonstrations with real-world applications
- A clear roadmap for communication, dissemination, and outreach
- Valuable guest contributions that broadened perspectives and supported strategic planning
The Waste4Soil consortium leaves Ravenna with renewed momentum and a shared commitment to advancing soil health through innovative, inclusive, and circular bioeconomy solutions across Europe.
