FARR-Wal

Context

The reasons why we should develop the non-food applications of biomass in the Walloon Region concern both the agricultural and environmental chains. These applications allow to suggest farmers to diversify their activities. On the other hand, the development of renewable energy sources in agriculture makes it possible to decrease the energy dependence of Wallonia compared with foreign countries. At last, the environmental impact is not to be neglected as for the landscape or greenhouse gas emissions.

Objectives

The FARR-Wal programme mainly aims at reaching the following objectives :
- to increase and diversify the activity of Walloon farmers by using biomass and
developing non-food crops ;
- to increase the Walloon gross regional product by developing economic activities as for the transformation, distribution and non-food utilisation of biomass agricultural products ;
- to reinforce durably the socio-economic make-up of the rural area by setting up local activities of transformation and utilization of biomass.

Description of tasks

The programme is divided into 5 tasks :

Task 1 – Monitoring of technological development
FARR-Wal keeps itself aware of the new technologies and remains active in the different non-food applications (energy and industrial) of the biomass. It results in gathering information, taking part in European projects and networks and treating information.
Task 2 – Public awareness
FARR-Wal, thanks to the skills of the Communication Unit of the team, ensures the awareness and spreading of information concerning the stakes of the utilisation of renewable resources among industrials, consumers and deciders. In order to do so, a communication plan is established. Public awareness also goes through the coordination of working groups and the organization and participation to events.
Task 3 - Coordination and representation of the different sectors
According to the priority topics defined by the follow-up committee, FARR Wal supports the setting up or functioning of the chains. This coordination between the protagonists of a chain makes it possible to put together the skills on a whole chain, a better public awareness and a better taking into account of the interests of each step of the chains. It leads to a series of actions defined depending on the cases, according to the needs of the members of the chain : common opinion of the chain, advertising campaign for a chain, …
Task 4 - Initiation and follow up of demonstration actions
Within different chains identified beforehand, FARR-Wal initiates, guides and takes care of the technical, economical and administrative steps linked to the setting up of demonstration actions.
Task 5 - Management
The FARR-Wal programme is self-governing as for its administrative and financial management, in collaboration with the operators of the project. The programme is divided into 3 “units” : the “biomass energy” unit, the “renewable raw materials” unit and the “secretarial work and communication” unit. An intern coordination and pilot committee allows the work organization and the concerted decision making.An action plan for the development of agricultural chains and renewable resources in Wallonia was written. This programme can be adapted, for example according to the present needs.

Expected results

The expected results can be summarised the following way : setting up of an organized documentation centre, widely supplied with information, writing of reports or topic papers, setting up and management of the internet site (ww.valbiom.be), organization of events, better knowledge of the non-food utilization of biomass among people, setting up of chains.