On 18 November 2025, Cooperativas Agro-alimentarias de España organised the CARINA Living Lab “New Crops for the Bioeconomy in Spain” at the MAAVI Innovation Center (biorefinery), hosted by KIMITEC. The event was implemented within the framework of CARINA Task 5.1 (Living Labs) and directly connected to Task 5.5 through the visit to the biorefinery facilities, linking on-farm crop diversification with downstream bio-based processing and value chain development. The event brought together cooperatives, researchers, industry representatives and other key stakeholders to explore opportunities for crop diversification and the development of sustainable bio-based value chains based on camelina and carinata.
The living lab opened with introductory remarks from KIMITEC, followed by a presentation of the CARINA project by Cooperativas Agro-alimentarias de España. The project was introduced as a collaborative initiative involving 19 partners from 13 countries, structured around agronomic trials, bio-based product development, sustainability assessment, policy recommendations and stakeholder engagement. Its overarching objective is to improve the economic and environmental stability of farmers by supporting diversification towards emerging oilseed crops and higher value-added bio-based applications.
Throughout the morning, researchers and technical experts presented agronomic results on camelina and carinata cultivation across different Spanish regions. Camelina Company shared data from camelina trials under double cropping systems and on marginal land, highlighting the crop’s compatibility with crop rotation schemes and its potential to contribute to emission reductions. Nufarm presented experiences with carinata cultivation, underlining favourable performance in warmer areas as well as challenges linked to sustainability certification.
Representatives from cooperatives in Castilla y León, Andalucía, Aragón, Castilla-La Mancha and Catalonia shared practical field experiences, covering a wide range of conditions from irrigated systems to cold dryland environments. These contributions provided valuable insight into farmers’ perceptions of crop management, profitability and integration within CAP eco-schemes, helping to inform future diversification strategies at cooperative level.
A central session focused on the development of new bioproducts derived from camelina and carinata. KIMITEC presented progress on bio-based biostimulants, bioherbicides and biopesticides developed within the CARINA project, based on compounds such as glucosinolates and plant proteins. The results demonstrated promising potential for pest control and yield improvement in horticultural crops, highlighting how alternative oilseeds can support circular bioeconomy pathways beyond primary production.
Regulatory and certification aspects were addressed by the presentation on Sustainable Biomaterials, with an overview of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED III), requirements for intermediate crops and perspectives on carbon certification. An interactive survey session led by Cooperativas Agro-alimentarias de España highlighted administrative complexity and market uncertainty as key barriers, while also identifying sustainability benefits and new income opportunities as major drivers for adoption.
The workshop concluded with a discussion session and a guided visit to KIMITEC’s biorefinery facilities, including its production plant, R&D areas and LINNA innovation hub. This visit provided participants with a concrete view of how alternative crops can be transformed into bio-based products of interest for the agri-food industry.
The presentations delivered during the workshop are available as a recorded video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Gnqb7dOgZc4?si=Amp5JW7-iewtKUxL
Through this event, Cooperativas Agro-alimentarias de España and the CARINA consortium reinforced their commitment to promoting innovation, bioeconomy development and agricultural diversification, while strengthening the role of cooperatives as key actors in Europe’s transition towards more sustainable and resilient farming systems.

Rural development is a central pillar of the EU’s agricultural strategy. Under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), rural development programmes aim to strengthen the social, environmental and economic sustainability of rural areas through innovation, diversification and modernisation.

Farming is no longer solely about production volume, it’s increasingly about value, resilience and sustainability. Innovative practices in agriculture help rural areas by:

Creating new income streams for farmers, moving beyond traditional mono-cropping and enabling use of new crops or technologies
Supporting new jobs in farming, processing, logistics, research and support services for agriculture
Making rural areas more attractive for younger generations and promoting generational renewal through dynamic farming models

Within the CARINA project, crops such as camelina and carinata are employed not only as agricultural outputs but as platform crops that support rural value chains. These crops enable:

Farm-level diversification into oilseed production and associated co-products
Local processing or adaptation of value chains which retain more added value in the rural area
Alignment with circular farming models, enhancing sustainability while giving rural businesses a stronger foothold

Research and innovation programmes under the EU explicitly link agriculture, forestry and rural areas to economic and social development of rural territories. Financial instruments via the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) channel investments into rural projects focusing on innovation, resource efficiency and sustainable growth.

For rural regions in Europe, the path forward includes embracing innovative farming practices, crop diversification and integration into wider bio-based value chains. Through programmes like CARINA, rural communities can build stronger, future-facing agricultural models that deliver economic benefit, environmental sustainability and social vitality.

Read more: https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/common-agricultural-policy/rural-development_en

The concept of the bioeconomy is central to Europe’s transition to a more sustainable, circular and competitive economy. According to the European Commission, the bioeconomy covers all sectors and systems that rely on biological resources, their functions and principles.

The EU’s Bioeconomy Strategy is designed to deliver:

Food and nutrition security through more efficient and sustainable use of biological resources
Sustainable management of natural resources and reduced dependence on non-renewable inputs
Adaptation to climate change and support for circular, low-carbon value chains
Enhanced competitiveness of bio-based industries and job creation in rural and industrial regions

Agriculture is a foundational part of the bioeconomy: it supplies biomass, supports rural livelihoods and connects to downstream bio-industries. The updated Strategy highlights the importance of stakeholder mobilisation, unlocking investments and bridging the research-to-market gap.

For the CARINA project, resilient oilseed crops such as camelina and carinata exemplify how agriculture and industry can converge:

Oilseeds become feedstock for biofuels, bioplastics, biochemicals
Co-products and residues are valorised in animal feed, biomaterials or soil amendments
Farming systems become part of a circular value chain, not just raw-material suppliers

To realise this vision, the Strategy emphasises actions such as scaling up biorefineries, improving regulatory frameworks, and promoting regional bioeconomy strategies.

As EU policies converge around the Green Deal, the circular economy and the Clean Industrial Deal, agriculture is no longer only about food production, it is a source of renewable materials and innovation. Projects like CARINA illustrate the opportunities of this shift: farming not just for yield, but for value across the bio-based economy. Optimising crops, technologies and value chains now will help Europe secure competitive advantage, resilient rural economies and a sustainable future.

Read more: https://knowledge4policy.ec.europa.eu/bioeconomy/bioeconomy-strategy_en

Circular farming systems turn agriculture into a climate and resource innovation engine. Rather than treating crops as single-purpose commodities, circular models aim to extract maximum value from each harvested crop, reducing waste, lowering inputs and enhancing ecosystem services.

The European Union is advancing its Bioeconomy Strategy to ensure “circular and sustainable production and consumption of biological resources for materials and services.” By integrating circular practices into farming, Europe can reduce fossil-resource dependency, generate new value chains in rural areas and support the Green Deal’s climate neutrality goals.

Crops such as Camelina sativa and Brassica carinata demonstrate how circularity can be achieved in practice. For example:

The oil fraction can be processed into bio-fuels or bioplastics
The leftover meal and residues serve as animal feed, soil amendments or biochemicals
Integrating these crops into rotations means improved soil health, lower input costs and enhanced resilience

Such cascaded use of biomass aligns with circular bioeconomy principles and helps farming systems contribute to emission reductions and rural economic diversification.

Policy frameworks like the upcoming EU Circular Bioeconomy Strategy and CAP modernisation provide incentives for circular farming practices. For farmers and stakeholders, the transition involves: adopting crops suited to dual-value chains; integrating biomass-use thinking into farm business models; and participating in value networks that close loops.

Circular farming is not simply about reducing waste, it’s about redesigning farm systems so that every component has value, thereby aligning agriculture with Europe’s climate and sustainability ambitions.

For more detail on the EU’s bioeconomy strategy: https://environment.ec.europa.eu/strategy/bioeconomy-strategy_en