On 5 and 6 November 2026, the ECOLOOP project took part in “Suelo vivo: retos y soluciones circulares” (Living Soil: Challenges and Circular Solutions), a two-day event held in Valencia, Spain, bringing together researchers, agricultural professionals and other stakeholders to explore innovative approaches to soil health and circular agriculture.
Organised by bioSOILUTIONS, the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) and AVA-ASAJA, the event aimed to facilitate knowledge transfer on soil health, raise awareness of the benefits of waste-derived bioproducts and showcase the work being carried out within European projects such as ECOLOOP.
The event created opportunities for dialogue between the scientific community, the agricultural sector and civil society.
From waste to healthy soils: exploring circular solutions
The first day opened with contributions from Constanza Rubio, Director of the School of Agricultural and Forestry Engineering (ETSIAM), and Lidia García-García, representing València Innovation Capital.
One of the highlights was the roundtable discussion “From waste to living soil: challenges and circular solutions for Valencian agriculture”, which brought together experts from research, farming and industry. Participants included Antonio Lidón from the IIAMA research institute at UPV, farmer Manuel Figueroa, Rebeca Brocal from Finca Sinyent (AVA-ASAJA) and Alberto Acedo from Biome Makers.
The discussion highlighted the importance of collaboration between different stakeholders to turn agricultural and industrial waste into valuable resources, while addressing t he challenges associated with soil health and the adoption of circular practices.
The programme also featured a presentation by Francisco Ample from Sociedad Anónima Agricultores de la Vega de Valencia, who shared progress on the development of four circular business models for biofertilisers derived from different waste streams: insect frass, hydrolysed blood, nitrogen and potassium struvite.
Showcasing ECOLOOP’s solutions and connecting stakeholders
ECOLOOP’s participation included a project presentation, an exhibition area and a Living Lab meeting, providing different opportunities to introduce the project’s objectives, activities and the products currently being tested.
The project presentation outlined ECOLOOP’s main areas of work and the challenges associated with developing circular solutions for agriculture, particularly in relation to biofertilisers, resource recovery and soil health. The event also provided a space for participants to exchange perspectives and identify potential areas for collaboration.
On 6 November, the second session moved to Finca Sinyent, the experimental farm managed by AVA-ASAJA. Participants visited its facilities and learned more about the applications being explored through bioSOILUTIONS and ECOLOOP, as well as the practical challenges involved in bringing innovative solutions closer to agricultural practice.
The visit offered a valuable opportunity to connect research and technological development with real agricultural environments, highlighting the importance of testing and demonstrating new products under practical conditions.
Building bridges between research and agriculture
“Suelo vivo: retos y soluciones circulares” reinforced the importance of knowledge transfer and cooperation in advancing more sustainable agricultural practices.
By bringing together researchers, farmers, technology developers and other stakeholders, the event helped raise awareness of the potential of waste-derived bioproducts and their contribution to improving soil health and promoting circularity in the agricultural sector.
For ECOLOOP, the two-day meeting was an opportunity to showcase its work, engage with relevant stakeholders and strengthen connections between scientific knowledge and practical agricultural needs.
Through initiatives like this, ECOLOOP continues to promote circular approaches that turn waste into valuable resources, supporting healthier soils and a more sustainable agricultural sector.