Europe’s agricultural system stands at a pivotal crossroads. The European Green Deal, the Farm to Fork Strategy, and the Biodiversity Strategy 2030 all point to a common objective: building a climate-resilient, biodiversity-rich, and resource-efficient food system. At the heart of this transformation lies a deceptively simple principle – diversification. 

Crop diversification isn’t just about what grows in the soil. It is a keystone solution to limit soil erosion, reduce emissions, enrich ecosystems, and secure farmer livelihoods. This is where CARINA steps in. By introducing sustainable, low-resource demanding oilseed crops like carinata or camelina, the CARINA project offers a viable path for the transition towards resilient farming systems. 

These crops not only thrive in marginal or degraded soils, but also complement existing rotations, improve soil structure, and require fewer chemical inputs. For farmers, that means better environmental outcomes and additionnal income, contributing to enhanced resilience of European farms. 

Learn more about the policy drivers shaping this transformation: 

European Green Deal: https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/european-green-deal_en 
Farm to Fork Strategy: https://food.ec.europa.eu/horizontal-topics/farm-fork-strategy_en 
EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030: https://environment.ec.europa.eu/strategy/biodiversity-strategy-2030_en 

One of the key objectives of the CARINA project is to support the development of policy interventions that promote certified low indirect Land-Use Change (iLUC) feedstock for bio-based value chains. To this end, the focus is put on identifying synergies in sectoral strategies and delivering practical policy recommendations.

The activities centre around developing analytical tools and frameworks to assess the current policy landscape, with particular attention to innovative agricultural systems, certification schemes, and methodologies for Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV). As part of this work, policy factsheets were prepared for countries with more mature camelina and carinata value chains, namely Spain, France, Italy, and Germany. These factsheets aim to help policymakers and practitioners explore, evaluate, and refine existing policy instruments.

To ensure real-world relevance and applicability, CARINA partners carried out Policy Innovation Labs (PILs). These workshops brought together stakeholders from across the value chain, including farmers, cooperatives, seed producers, and representatives of the processing industry, to jointly identify policy gaps and opportunities.

Looking ahead, the project will conduct foresight workshops to assess the potential impact of policy interventions through macro-level modelling. These sessions will provide valuable insights into supply chain optimisation and help minimise land use conflicts. The trade-offs identified through this work will support the creation of policy environments that mitigate negative externalities and promote sustainable agricultural development.

By integrating findings with CARINA’s broader social innovation framework, the project offers actionable tools and insights that can inform the design of effective and sustainable policies for the bioeconomy.

On July 1st 2025, a CARINA field workshop was held in Kozie Laski, organised by PULS. The event focused on the presentation of winter camelina, spring camelina, and carinata in field conditions, with particular attention to plant health and development.

During the workshop, visitors had the opportunity to see both marginal and intercropping fields. The scientific staff of the CARINA project presented key aspects of agrotechnical treatments in the cultivation of camelina and carinata, followed by discussions on current and future cultivation practices, the possibilities of growing these crops on marginal land, and their potential use in intercropping systems.

The benefits of cultivating camelina and carinata, as targeted by the project, and the intended uses of the harvested crops were presented to participants. The owner of the fields also shared harvest results from previous years, providing valuable insights into the performance of these crops under local conditions.

The workshop offered a practical platform for knowledge exchange between researchers, farmers, and other stakeholders, supporting CARINA’s mission to promote sustainable and diversified cropping systems.

On 28 May, Cooperativas Agro-alimentarias Castilla-La Mancha (CACLM) presented the CARINA Project at the REDPAC conference on best practices in crop rotation with soil-improving species for dryland areas, applicable to eco-regimes in Castilla-La Mancha.

The event took place at the Albadalejito Agroforestry Research Centre (CIAF) in Cuenca and was organised by REDPAC, part of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. It brought together local farmers, farmers’ associations, industry technicians, and companies to discuss the environmental benefits of using soil-improving crops and the technical aspects of their implementation.

Cooperativas Agro-alimentarias Castilla-La Mancha took the opportunity to present the CARINA Project, highlighting how camelina and carinata are ideally suited to rainfed crop rotation in the region. Participants visited the camelina trial fields at the Albadalejito Research Centre, part of the Regional Institute for Agri-Food and Forestry Research and Development of Castilla-La Mancha. Technicians responsible for the trials emphasised the importance of applying the recommended fertiliser to camelina crops to achieve optimal results.

The day concluded with a round table discussion where several farmers shared their experiences with crop rotation management on their farms. They discussed both the benefits and challenges of implementing crop rotation, addressing aspects such as training, local adaptation, administrative simplification, and the need for research and experimentation adapted to each area.