In the transition to a bio-circular economy, the demand is shifting from fossil to renewable raw materials. As a result, there is an increasing demand for plant components in numerous markets (food, materials, textiles, etc.). At the same time, more and more attention is being paid to a more sustainable form of agriculture. This goes hand in hand with a search for new promising crops for the future and new revenue models. In many cases, this also concerns crops that – in addition to promising market applications – also make a positive contribution to various sustainability aspects. More and more initiatives are being launched in this area.

To promote integrality, various parties from (and with financial support from) the provinces of Noord-Brabant and Zeeland are working together. Biobased Innovations Gardens focuses on increasing the supply of sustainable bio raw materials with multiple value added (including residual flows) in various products and applications. New applications in research and business cases for both food and non-food applications.

Within this project, three experimental farms – Rusthoeve, AgroProeftuin De Peel and Strijbeek – are experimenting with new crops. Think of field beans, miscanthus or sida. Food Tech Brainport, together with Green Tech Park Brabant and Millvision, is involved in the application from crop to product, such as food (ingredients), paper & cardboard, composites, textiles and building materials. Delphy is the knowledge party in the field of growing (new) crops. The project is financially supported by the Province of Noord-Brabant, the Province of Zeeland and the Branche Organization Arable Farming.