PALUdiculture large-Scale DEMOnstrationS

PALUS DEMOS will establish 3 large scale paludiculture demonstration sites to provide insights in new agricultural business models, increased employment, and improved biodiversity and water quality in line with the objectives of the EU Green Deal. PALUS DEMOS will inspire entrepreneurs in agriculture, biobased manufacturing industry, communities, politicians, water and nature organisations and many others, that paludiculture will provide a new direction to preserve peat pastures, carbon stores and reduce GHG emissions. The proposed bottom-up approach (agriculture feeds science) is an opportunity that can improve social, economic and environmental sustainability, offering a future-proof model for agricultural entrepreneurs. Our demonstrators will act as lighthouses or beacons for local stakeholders and others from right across Europe & beyond. The focus of these demonstrators, supported by many of Europe’s leading experts, is to develop a range of best practices and land uses in strategic locations in three European countries ideally placed to spearhead the establishment of paludiculture practice and markets across Europe in a climate smart farming way. Beyond state of the art, we will establish co-created sustainable paludiculture practices at each of the three demonstrators. This will be fully supported by policy recommendations identifying enablers, barriers and policy gaps. We will work with stakeholders to develop (socio-)economic models using the quadruple helix innovation system, including government, industry, academia, and society. Our work will be supported by the development of long term business plans, it will include end users of the produced biomass and will be supported by Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools co-created with stakeholders leading us towards an evidence based policy approach to paludiculture innovation.