Between 25–29 January 2026, a joint delegation of the Hungarian Ministry of Agriculture and AKI – ITE took part in a study visit to Ghent (Belgium) and Wageningen (the Netherlands) to explore best practices in the bio-based economy, research infrastructures, and applied innovation. AKI was represented by colleagues from the Directorate for Sustainability Research, alongside participants from academia and the farming community.
In Ghent, the delegation visited the Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant (BBEU), a non-profit organization supporting bio-based startups and SMEs in scaling up technologies to industrial level. Through a fee-for-service model, BBEU reduces technological risks and helps companies bridge the “valley of death” between development and market entry.
At ILVO (Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food), the program focused on living labs, precision and climate-adaptive agriculture, sustainable food systems, and bioeconomy partnerships. The delegation gained insight into pilot facilities such as Food Pilot, Feed Pilot, post-harvest processing solutions, agricultural robotics applications, and initiatives connecting producers with industrial partners.
The visit concluded at Wageningen University & Research (WUR), a leading institution in sustainable food systems, climate adaptation, and circular bioeconomy. Discussions highlighted the university’s “People–Food–Nature” strategy, its strong international partnerships, and research on bioeconomy networks and algae-based innovations.
The study tour provided valuable insights into innovation ecosystems and collaboration models linking research and market actors in the bio-based sector.
