The vegetable oil and related protein sectors use petroleum-based hexane to extract oil from plant materials. Hexane-based extraction is an old technology that is harmful to health and to the environment. Our ambition is to bring a new biobased solvent called EcoXtract® to the market for processing of oil- and protein-rich crops. This will replace hexane in a million tonne/year market leading to transformation of this global agri-food sector. The project will enable us to construct the world’s first large-scale and first small-scale EcoXtract-based oil extraction plants in Europe. This will be followed by world-wide transformation beyond the consortium enabled by our patented solvent technology: EcoXtract. We will use an open innovation approach between five complementary European businesses. Agroprotein is a developer of agri-food plant protein- and oil-based value chains. Pennakem is a global leader in green solvent systems. It developed and now owns the EcoXtract solvent technology. De Wit is a world leader in extracting and marketing high-value oilseed products. NHE is a leader in operating and scaling up extraction systems. An extensive programme of industrial-scale system testing, validation and optimisation followed by product prototying driven by the needs of two value chains lies at the heart of the project. Supported also by co-creative prototyping with clients, we will develop three new mutually supporting business lines within the EcoXtract® framework pioneering global transition of the sector to this new technology. Oilseeds account for about one-fifth of global crop production. This project will revolutionise processing by introducing a biobased alternative to hexane in both low and high volume markets. The commercial-scale optimization of EcoXtract® will be a big step forward for the biobased sector and advance Horizon 2020’s impact on Societal Challenge 2 opening up new markets for the biobased solvent and its extraction products.

The Legume Generation consortium will invest in innovation that boosts the breeding of legumes in Europe by combining the entrepreneurial focus of breeders with the broad inventiveness of the supporting research base. Six species-oriented breeder-led innovation communities will link practical breeding with the research-base in a transdisciplinary framework. They lead the innovation work and each is focused on the breeding of a single species or species type: soya bean (Glycine max); lupins (Lupinus spp); pea (Pisum sativum); lentil (Lens culinaris); phaseolus bean (Phaseolus spp. e.g., ‘common’ bean); and white and red clover (Trifolium repens and T. pratense). These are supported by the cross-project collection of intelligence on ideotype concepts, beneficial traits, a catalogue of legume species and cultivars, and breeding methods assembled in the Legume Generation Knowledge Centre; the production and validation of novel resources (genotypes, methods, and tools); screening, demonstration and testing of germplasm and new cultivars in different regions; training to support breeding gains in our innovation communities; governance and financial models, and business plans for inclusive plant breeding. All this will be supported by consortium internal and external dissemination and communications, including the extension of the European Legume Hub as a platform for sharing of knowledge. We currently run 43 breeding and pre-breeding programmes. We will give these a decisive boost through access to resources that accelerates the production of novel germplasm, innovating up to the point where newly bred germplasm and cultivars are proven on farm. Breeders will use the results to support expansion of legume production. Our innovation communities will be open to all relevant actors and provide a direct route for the dissemination of results to other users and interested stakeholders. Their sustainability beyond the life of the project will be supported by business plans.

Legumes Translated supports innovation in grain legume-supported cropping systems and value-chains by linking sources and users of quality-assured knowledge using rigorous knowledge synthesis and compilation. Knowledge is compiled at two levels: at the level of Actor Groups’ specific farming system and value chain activities, and in seven technical areas of agricultural sector and value-chain transition (Transition Networks). The project addresses an urgent need and cross-sector challenges by building on technical opportunities. The urgent need is due to the imbalance in cropping systems now dominated by cereal crops with adverse agronomic and environmental effects. The cross-sector challenge arises from the growing demand for alternative sources of plant protein, growing consumer interest in the environmental impact and resource efficiency of value chains, growing demand for GMO-free value chains and grain legume-based foods. The technical opportunity arises from the range of innovation groups in Europe that are now translating relevant knowledge at a local and regional level. Our consortium comprises an existing innovation community represented by 15 Actor Groups with research-based knowledge, value-chain actors’ knowledge and insights from the pre-farm side of the value chain right through to retailing, including the supporting and regulating functions such as policy development. The project uses a co-learning framework to validate the knowledge compiled within Actor Groups and between Actor Groups within the seven Transition Networks. In addition to direct interaction between partners, an extensive range of primary communications provided in an internet-based knowledge platform (The Legume Hub) will have a lasting character documenting the work. Secondary communications will target specific groups along value chains using a wide range of media. The project includes work for impact beyond the project time-frame.