The RUNFASTER4EU consortium gathered in Caserta, Italy, for two productive days of collaboration, combining strategic discussions with practical demonstrations in the field. The meeting marked the completion of the project’s first year and provided an opportunity for partners to strengthen cooperation while connecting research activities with real agricultural practice.
Day One: Reviewing Progress and Planning Ahead
The first day of the General Assembly focused on collaboration, coordination and the project’s roadmap for the months ahead.
Project partners came together to exchange updates on the work carried out during the first year, discuss ongoing activities across the different work packages and coordinate the next implementation steps. The discussions reflected the multidisciplinary nature of RUNFASTER4EU, bringing together expertise from agriculture, research, industry, sustainability, communication and stakeholder engagement.
Throughout the sessions, partners explored how the different activities contribute to the project’s common objective of developing sustainable bio-based value chains based on low-ILUC-risk oil crops cultivated on marginal lands. The meeting also reinforced the importance of maintaining close cooperation across the consortium as the project moves into its second year.
Day Two: Bringing Innovation to the Field
The second day shifted the focus from meeting rooms to agricultural practice through a visit to the safflower replication field sites in the Caserta area.
Hosted with the support of Coldiretti, the visit welcomed project partners alongside farmers, local stakeholders and representatives of the agricultural community. The programme introduced participants to the ongoing field activities, while Novamont presented the work carried out within WP2 – Feedstock: Oil Crops and Fields Products, showcasing the role of safflower cultivation within the project.
The field visit created an opportunity for direct dialogue between researchers, industry representatives and farmers. Participants discussed cultivation practices, exchanged perspectives and explored how sustainable agricultural solutions can generate new opportunities for rural communities while supporting Europe’s transition towards a circular bioeconomy.
The day continued with a visit to the Novamont R&D Centre of Piana di Monte Verna, where consortium partners gained first-hand insight into the scientific research and technological innovation underpinning the development of sustainable bio-based products. During the laboratory tour, participants explored research and processing activities focused on biomass valorisation, demonstrating how advanced technologies can transform renewable feedstocks into innovative, high-value bio-based solutions.
By connecting field demonstrations with cutting-edge laboratory research, the visit highlighted the complementary role of agriculture, science and industry within RUNFASTER4EU. It showcased how scientific knowledge is translated into industrial innovation, reinforcing the project’s ambition to develop sustainable bio-based value chains through cascading biomass valorisation with environmental, economic and societal benefits across Europe
As the consortium enters the second year of implementation, the knowledge exchanged during these two days will help drive the project’s next activities and reinforce collaboration among all partners working towards a progressively more sustainable and circular bio-based future.