Croatian Chamber of Agriculture and the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, as part of the BIOECO-UP project, held a workshop on Wednesday, March 13th, during which they presented numerous practical experiences on how to improve knowledge of citizens about bioeconomy. 55 participants that attended the workshop had the opportunity to learn about concrete examples of the availability and value of biologically based products, and what are the advantages for the environment and health in Central and Eastern Europe.
At the workshop, the participants discussed the info sheets that were distributed among them. The participants analyzed and discussed the content and usefulness of the leaflets and exchanged their opinions and experiences with their application. Through discussion and group work, the participants gained a better understanding and insight into the importance of quality info sheets in communication and education.
The workshop was attended by speakers from different sectors who presented innovative projects related to agriculture and bioeconomy. Andreja Martonja Hitrec from the Ministry of Agriculture spoke about CroBiohub, while Associate Professor Dr.Sc. Vanja Jurišić from the Faculty of Agriculture presented the topic of agricultural biomass and bioeconomy. Ph.D. Tajana Radić from the Croatian Chamber of Agriculture presented the BIOECO-UP project, and Dario Gazić from the Hrvoje Požar Energy Institute presented the Boost4Bioeat project. All speakers emphasized the importance of sustainable use of resources in agriculture and potential opportunities for the development of new technologies and innovations in that sector.
“The level of knowledge of citizens and consumers today is at a very low level, which is why it is necessary to carry out education so that as much information as possible is available to citizens, who in their everyday life through changing habits, both from consumption and purchase, so that production can influence positive processes and to encourage the development of the bioeconomy more strongly”, said Tajana Radić, Head of the Department for Agricultural Policy, Innovation and International Cooperation
She pointed out that the aim of the workshop was for the participants to learn about the many ways in which citiziens can learn to influence the bioeconomy through their consumption patterns and become producers of organic household products. During the workshop, participants were introduced to biological materials and their potential to replace fossil-based products, as well as the ecological advantages of using biomaterials in everyday life.
At the workshop, it was pointed out that Croatia should receive the first Bioeconomy Strategy until 2035 by the end of this year. It is a strategy that should contribute to the stronger development of the bioeconomy, that is, an economy that relies on biological raw materials and their use, and is a kind of counterbalance to the economic model based on fossil fuels. According to the draft Strategy, whose coordinator is the Ministry of Agriculture, Croatia has a great potential to encourage this type of economy.