The Agri2026 conference, hosted by the Brussels Institute of Advanced Studies (BrIAS on the 4-6th February, 2026), was the 3rd edition of their annual conference on smart agriculture. This key European forum brought together research projects, policymakers and innovation stakeholders committed to accelerating the transition towards a more sustainable agricultural system. The event provided an excellent platform for dialogue, knowledge exchange and collaboration across EU-funded initiatives working at the interface of agriculture, biotechnology and the circular bioeconomy.
CROPSAFE at Agri2026
Dr Federico Lopez-Moya, University of Alicante
During the meeting, CROPSAFE established strong synergies with complementary projects such as ZELDA and OLinWASTE, identifying common scientific challenges, and opportunities for joint dissemination, exploitation and policy engagement. These interactions highlighted the shared ambition of developing innovative, bio-based solutions for crop protection, while promoting the valorisation of waste streams and resource efficiency within agricultural value chains.
A central highlight of BriAS Agri 2026 was the in-depth discussion on the regulatory landscape for next-generation agrochemicals and bio-based plant protection products. Representatives from the European Union and the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU) actively contributed to the debate, addressing regulatory challenges, upcoming policy initiatives and pathways to facilitate market uptake of safe, effective and sustainable alternatives to conventional agrochemicals.
Through our participation, CROPSAFE reinforced our commitment to aligning scientific innovation with regulatory readiness and societal needs. The exchanges in Brussels underscored the importance of early dialogue between research projects, regulators and industry to ensure that novel, bio-based crops protection strategies can successfully contribute to EU priorities such as the Green Deal, and the Farm to Fork strategy.
Overall, BrIAS Agri 2026 marked a significant step forward for CROPSAFE, strengthening our network, enhancing cross-project collaboration and positioning our work at the forefront of European efforts to reshape the future of sustainable agriculture.
