At the event, the Engage4BIO team invited agriculture students and adults involved in farming who were interested in the impact of circular economy on soil and wanted to expand their knowledge on this subject to fill out a data collection board. At the Pápa Expo, visitors could answer questions about soil quality and soil management using colourful threads on an interactive board. Based on the responses, the threads yielded a visually engaging and easily interpretable result, allowing participants to learn about the importance of preserving soil quality in a playful manner. As a reward for their participation, the organisers gave out handmade seed bombs, which participants could plant to personally contribute to the preservation of biodiversity. 

Engage4Bio is a Horizon Europe project launched in collaboration by 21 institutions in 5 countries to strengthen circular, sustainable bioeconomy and sustainable regional development through processes of design thinking, co-creation, (re)training and skills development. The project focus varies by country.   

Led by Bay Zoltan Nonprofit Ltd. for Applied Reseach and Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design, the Hungarian Engage4BIO Hub focuses on agricultural and food industry and aims to promote and strengthen circular biomass-based economy and advance sustainable regional growth through the means of art and design. The two institutions are jointly leading the development of the agri-food platform in Hungary, the planning of related innovative information and communication campaigns, and the incorporation of art and design into these activities.  

Each of the other countries has their own focus: the Netherlands specialises in circular and bio-based textiles, Austria in Timber, construction & interior, Finland in sustainable packaging, and Italy in blue-bioeconomy. The consortium is led by the Zentrum für Soziale Innovation, Austria. 

The project partners are establishing regional collaboration platforms and networks linked to the various value chains (wood construction and interior design, agriculture and agri-food industry, circular and bio-based textile industry, bio-based and sustainable packaging industry, and the “blue bioeconomy” (marine biomass-based economy) with the involvement of higher education and adult education institutions, policymakers, civil society, and business sector stakeholders with the aim of developing models that takes the social, economic, and cultural characteristics of each region into consideration. Building on these initiatives, societal awareness can be increased, feedback processes related to policy can be streamlined, and the development of sustainable innovation systems can be promoted.

https://www.engage4bio.eu/