The RUSTICA project has released a series of nine new videos capturing key moments from its Final Conference, held in Leuven, Belgium. These videos offer an in-depth look at the discussions, insights, and collaborations that shaped the event, featuring RUSTICA partners and key stakeholders, including representatives from the European Commission and FAO.
The newly published footage provides a comprehensive recap of the conference, covering essential topics such as circular bio-based fertilisers, nutrient recycling, waste treatment, market adoption, and policy standardization. Alongside the main conference highlights, the videos also include exclusive interviews with experts from across the project’s network, shedding light on the impact of RUSTICA’s innovations and the path forward for sustainable agriculture.
The individual interviews feature leading voices from research, industry, and policy, discussing challenges and opportunities in the bioeconomy, waste management, and agricultural sustainability.
- SUEZ Group – Dominique Helaine (Carbon Solution Director) addresses waste and carbon solutions, focusing on standardization, scalability, and education for market adoption.
- ILVO, Belgium – Fien Amery highlights the benefits of nutrient recycling and RUSTICA’s circular approach.
- KU Leuven, Belgium – Tessa Avermaete discusses the multi-actor approach and the importance of stakeholder involvement in building a bio-based future for Europe.
- FAO UN – Mohamed Eida (Plant Nutrition) explores the challenges of fertilizer accessibility, the potential of organic-based fertilisers to create jobs and markets, and the role of regulatory standardization.
- CIAT, Colombia – Guillermo Peña Chipatecua highlights the need to better communicate the benefits of organic vs. synthetic fertilisers, and the role of local governments in developing domestic alternatives to reduce import dependency.
- UGENT, Belgium – Leo Gutierrez underscores the importance of waste treatment and circularity to reduce reliance on fossil fuel-based products.
- European Commission (DG AGRI, Unit Research and Innovation) – Benjamin Van Doorslaer highlights the role of bioeconomy and RUSTICA’s contribution to climate, environment, and EU food sovereignty.
- Particula Group, Croatia – Dominik Jasinski discusses the environmental, economic, and social impact assessment of RUSTICA, as well as market development strategies to ensure affordability for farmers and acceptance by regional stakeholders.
These videos provide valuable insights into the impact of the RUSTICA project and the collaborative efforts driving sustainable agricultural innovations. Whether you’re a researcher, policymaker, industry expert, or farmer, these interviews offer key perspectives on the future of bio-based fertilisers and circular economy solutions.
Watch the full RUSTICA Final Conference recap below and expert interviews on the RUSTICA website and YouTube channel. Stay connected with RUSTICA on LinkedIn and X to keep up with the latest updates on circular bio-based fertilisers and sustainable agriculture solutions.
