AREFLH is a partner on the WASTE4SOIL project “Turning food waste into sustainable soil improvers for better soil health and improved food system”. It aims at developing applicable recycling technical pathways to transform Food Processing Residues (FPR) into improvers, through a circular, system, and multi-actor approach. All food chain actors are involved at the regional level, thereby closing specific loops (nutrients, organic matter, water).
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, partners visited two key residue providers in the Emilia-Romagna region:
- Fruttagel, a cooperative specialising in the processing of fruits, vegetables, cereals, and legumes. Within Waste4Soil, Fruttagel contributes protein-rich by-products derived from soybean processing.
- Amadori Group, one of Italy’s leading agri-food companies, focuses on poultry production. For the project, Amadori supplies protein by-products obtained from poultry carcasses and sludges from bio-digestate.
Workshop on Side Streams and Sustainable Solutions
In addition, Savonia University hosted a workshop on Circular Business Models and Results Exploitation, dedicated to the Soilfood business case. The workshop explored Soilfood’s work in identifying which agricultural side streams can be efficiently used within the project and how these solutions can be implemented in real-life farming operations. Soilfood also presented its model as a practical example of how circular approaches can be successfully applied.
The discussions highlighted the diversity of side streams across Europe and the challenges linked to their use, while offering deeper insights into farmers’ needs. Although many issues are shared across countries, notable regional differences remain — for instance, wine production residues are a major concern in Southern Europe, whereas they are far less common in the Nordic regions.
These visits highlighted practical approaches to sustainable production, resource valorisation, and innovative paths for soil and waste management in the region.
The day concluded with a reflection session, allowing partners to consolidate insights and plan upcoming tasks and activities.
Key Outcomes
The Ravenna meeting delivered several important items:
- 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.
Know more about Waste4Soil
- www.waste4soil.eu
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X : @Waste4Soil
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LinkedIn : Waste4Soil Project
- Access all AREFLH articles on the project
This project receives funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement Nr. 101112708.
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