According to Eurostat, around 21% of the EU’s total surface area is covered by grassland and green shrubs. The project GO-GRASS is committed to transforming this untapped potential by creating bio-based solutions out of grass. Four demo sites – in Sweden, Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands – are now working on different bio-based grass products. To foster dialogue among local stakeholders, Prospex Institute kicked off the first rounds of GO-GRASS stakeholder boards in a hybrid format.
Interactive discussions about the challenges and potential of the Dutch and Swedish GO-GRASS demos were the focus of the first Stakeholder Boards. The Dutch Stakeholder Board, which took place on the 14th of October in Zwartsluis and online, focused on paper products made out of grass. The Swedish workshop took place a week later online and in Umeå, Sweden. The focus of the Swedish demo is on the conversion of reed canary grass into Klimatströ, an innovative type of animal bedding which has many advantages over traditional animal bedding.
The goal of these hybrid workshops with stakeholders was threefold. Firstly, stakeholders from various background had the opportunity to learn about the demo and get a first engagement with the project. Secondly, stakeholders also got the opportunity to voice concerns and flag opportunities. Finally, it gave them the possibility to identify the stakeholders’ needs and perceptions with regard to the boundaries of the value chain and measurement of success. During the hybrid workshop, the stakeholders in Sweden and the Netherlands thus had the opportunity to learn more about the respective demo sites and to identify challenges and opportunities for the projects, using interactive online tools. They also reflected on the potential and the added value of the demo and further engagement opportunities.
The sessions were moderated by Marc Gramberger in the Netherlands and Ulf Bergström in Sweden, who ensured that actors from across the value chain could raise their concerns and identify challenges as well as highlight the possibilities for the demos. The next Stakeholder Board will take place in Germany, where local stakeholders will have the chance to contribute to the German demo in December.
For more information about the project, please visit the project’s website.
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