Bioeconomy festival / March 14, 2024.
On March 14, 2024, the Faculty of Agriculture in Novi Sad successfully hosted a satelite event as part of the European Bioeconomy Changemakers Festival.
The event marked a significant milestone in the understanding and collaboration in the field of bioeconomy, highlighting Serbia's growing importance in this sustainable and innovative sector. Over 100 young individuals and more than 50 members from the scientific and academic community participated in high-level lectures and panels, sharing insights and latest trends in bioeconomy.
At the faculty's foyer, the project team engaged attendees with the kickoff of the PRO-SUSTAIN project by showcasing live exhibits and promotional materials. This initiative attracted considerable attention, underscoring the project's innovative approach towards utilizing insects as animal feed in Serbia and the Western Balkans. PRO-SUSTAIN aims to create a sustainable and resource-efficient industry for animal protein production through the farming of mealworms. Its goal is to facilitate industrial insect production, enabling new market opportunities and ensuring the production of high biological value insect-based protein within a circular economy framework. The project will investigate optimal conditions for insect mass farming, processing into animal feed, and their effects on digestibility and growth in poultry, alongside evaluating the environmental footprint through greenhouse gas emissions.
Doc. Dr. Saša Krstvoić participated in the panel discussion "Role of Agriculture in Bioeconomy," shedding light on the significance of PRO-SUSTAIN's project activities and its implications for Serbia's future in bioeconomy development.
The Bioeconomy Changemakers Festival, held from March 11 to 17 in Brussels, included Serbia's Faculty of Agriculture in Novi Sad as a unique satellite event organizer outside the European Union. This distinction underscores the country's and institution's recognized contributions to bioeconomy. The event featured more than 20 EU and nationally funded projects, contributing towards achieving the goals set by the EU Bioeconomy Strategy
Prominent figures, including Nenad Paunović, Director of IT and Entrepreneurship at the Prime Minister's Office, outlined plans for establishing a new bioeconomy hub, Bio4 Campus, focusing on biomedicine, biotechnology, bioinformatics, and biodiversity. The Ministry of Science, Technological Development, and Innovation presented achievements and future objectives, while the Innovation Fund showcased financial and mentoring mechanisms for innovation development through various programs. The Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution demonstrated ways to bridge science and industry. This gathering not only facilitated learning and skill acquisition but also expanded professional networks, positioning Serbia as a key player in the global bioeconomy arena, driving sustainable development and innovation.
