3F International workshop in Acireale, Sicily.
Last May 15th and 16th, the Department of Agriculture of the Sicilian Region organized a study event in Acireale as part of the Interreg Europe "3F Green Model" project. The workshop, entitled "Management and use of waste from the agricultural sector in the Mediterranean environment", was held at the headquarters of Crea Ofa, one of the key stakeholders of the project.
International participation
The meeting saw the participation of all international partners of the 3F project, including representatives from the Principality of Asturias, Ireland, Hungary and Latvia. During the two days, participants had the opportunity to share experiences, good practices and policy tools, creating a rich dialogue between different European realities involved in promoting the circular economy.
Focus on circular economy
The projects of the Sicilian stakeholders received particular attention, being selected as Good Practices in the circular economy. This selection highlights the importance and effectiveness of Sicilian initiatives in the sustainable management of agricultural waste. The interesting range of good practices presented demonstrated how waste can be transformed into valuable resources, contributing to environmental sustainability and local economic growth.
Visit to Assoro BioMetano
One of the highlights of the workshop was the visit to Assoro BioMetano, one of the five Sicilian companies considered to be demonstrating good practices in the agricultural waste management sector. Assoro BioMetano showed how it is possible to convert agricultural waste into biomethane, a clean and renewable energy source, highlighting the environmental and economic benefits of this approach. They also showed how the waste from this process itself is of value, as a nutrient-rich fertiliser and CO2 which may be cleaned to food-grade quality.
Perspectives
The workshop represented an important opportunity for discussion and collaboration between the various European entities involved in the 3F Green Model project. The sharing of good practices and policy tools has laid the foundations for future collaborations and strengthened the international network committed to promoting more sustainable and circular agriculture. The event in Acireale highlighted the importance of innovative management of agricultural waste, capable of transforming a problem into a resource, thus contributing to the protection of the environment and sustainable economic development.
The Interreg Europe 3f Green Model project
The Interreg Europe 3F Green Model project deals with the application of circular economy principles to the management of organic residues and by-products generated in agri-food and forestry supply chains, taking into account the different bioclimatic conditions and production structures of the EU. Project partners, coordinated by the regional government of the Principality of Asturias (Spain), are the Agriculture Department of the Sicilian Region, the Pannon B. Network Association (Hungary), the Vidzeme Region (Latvia) and Munster Technological University ( Ireland).