Reduce water demand in the agro-food value chains
Propose an integrated process for reuse, recycling, reintroduction, and retention of aqueous effluents.
RE-FRESH
Project Objectives
Eight connected objectives move from water demand and effluent valorization to scalable systems, impact assessment and policy guidance.
Integrated direction
Reuse, recovery and resilience
RE-FRESH connects technical, agronomic, environmental and economic objectives within one integrated process.
The objective is not one isolated treatment step, but a pathway that reduces water demand, valorizes effluents, improves soil performance and supports practical implementation in agro-food systems.
Valorize agro-food effluents
Develop fermentation-based processes to convert agri-food effluents into microbial biomass and biogas.
Optimize treatment and reuse
Apply adsorbent materials, including biochar, and chemical processes to agro-industrial effluents.
Improve soil water retention and fertility
Valorize effluents and biochar to produce microbial biomass as soil amendment.
Validate agronomic and economic feasibility
Assess the impact of effluent reuse on crop performance, including resistant cultivars, and conduct technical-economic analysis.
Develop scalable, ready-to-use treatment systems
Design modular prototypes for agrofood effluent treatment.
Promote stakeholder dialogue on Water Footprint
Facilitate dialogue on Water Footprint among key stakeholders.
Assess impact and guide policy
Assess Water Footprint (WF), Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Techno Economic Assessment (TEA), and produce briefs and guidelines.
