Rural Symbiosis

01
Jul

0

Advancing Circularity in Rural Bioeconomy via Regional Symbiosis

“Advancing Circularity in Rural Bioeconomy via Regional Symbiosis” (“Rural Symbiosis”) is the name of the new INTERREG Baltic Sea Project which started on July 1st, 2026 with the participation of the Foundation for Education and Social Dialogue “PRO CIVIS”.

Rural Symbiosis is understood as a collaborative approach in which businesses, farms, communities, and other local actors in rural areas share resources, knowledge, infrastructure, and by-products so that one actor’s output becomes another actor’s input, creating economic, environmental, and social benefits for the given region.

The Project addresses a critical challenge in the Baltic Sea Region: the underutilisation of agricultural and forestry side-streams. Although biomass residues and by-products hold significant potential, small rural enterprises often lack the scale, logistics, and cooperation needed to valorise them. Traditional, centralised industrial symbiosis and innovation models do not fit the dispersed and seasonal realities of rural biomass, leaving valuable resources treated as low-value waste.

Rural Symbiosis Project demonstrates practical symbiosis models through open innovation events, stakeholder workshops, study visits, and crucially, by building the capacity of such  multiplier organisations as regional authorities, development agencies, research centres, and business support organisations.

In the Project’s consortium PRO CIVIS Foundation is responsible for providing a framework (on-site co-creation workshops) for regional adaptation and adoption of the demonstrated best practices and for enabling technologies discovered and assessed in the inter-regional learning activities of open innovation processes and study visits.

Further key Project’s deliverables include 1) the Rural Symbiosis Toolbox—a set of actionable methods to foster cooperation, generate innovative valorisation solutions, and strengthen rural economies; 2) regional rural symbiosis roadmaps for participating regions, which will provide tailored guidance to embed project outcomes into long-term regional strategies, ensuring lasting impact beyond the Project’s lifetime.

The Rural Symbiosis Consortium is composed of nine partners from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden, Finland and Poland. Apart from PRO CIVIS Foundation the Świętokrzyskie Region is represented in the Rural Symbiosis Project by Center for Business Promotion and Entrepreneurship in Sandomierz, as well as by three associated organisations, i.e. Marshal Office of the Świętokrzyskie Region, REAL S.A. Fruit Processing Plant based in Bilcza, and REFAL LLC Group of Fruits and Vegetables Producers based in Sandomierz.

The Project, which is co-financed by INTERREG Baltic Sea Region 2021/2027, will be implemented until June 30th, 2028.

The contact person for the Project is:
Damian Kuznowicz
Project Manager at the Foundation for Education and Social Dialogue „PRO CIVIS”
d.kuznowicz@procivis.org.pl

01
Jul

0

Rural Symbiosis Statement

Documents:

The project “Rural Symbiosis – Advancing Circularity in Rural Bioeconomy via Regional Symbiosis” is co-funded by the European Union and the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme 2021–2027 (Priority 3: Climate-neutral societies, Objective 3.1: Circular economy).

Website:

The project “Rural Symbiosis – Advancing Circularity in Rural Bioeconomy via Regional Symbiosis” is co-funded by the European Union and the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme 2021–2027(Priority 3: Climate-neutral societies, Objective 3.1: Circular economy).

The project addresses a critical challenge in the BSR: the underutilisation of agricultural and forestry side-streams. Although biomass residues and by-products hold significant potential, small rural enterprises often lack the scale, logistics, and cooperation needed to valorise them. Traditional, centralised industrial symbiosis and innovation models do not fit the dispersed and seasonal realities of rural biomass, leaving valuable resources treated as low-value waste.

The project aims:

Rural Symbiosis aims at building cross-sectoral trust and transnational networks, delivering tangible circular economy benefits directly to rural citizens, and pooling resources to rapidly respond to unpredictable supply chain and resource challenges.

Here are the four specific aims:

  • Building trust and social capital needed for cooperation to extend beyond the project, empowering rural actors to replicate solutions, embed circular practices and advance climate-neutral growth across the Baltic Sea Region.
  • The project initiates and sustains networks crucial for advancing the circular bioeconomy in the BSR. By connecting rural municipalities, SMEs, BSOs, public authorities, and research institutions, it builds a transnational community of practice around rural symbiosis.
  • The project brings the Programme closer to citizens by turning circular-economy goals into concrete local benefits. In many rural areas, residues are seen as waste and policies feel distant; the project changes this by equipping municipalities, SMEs, and BSOs with tools to turn side-streams into products, energy, and services that create jobs and income.
  • The project strengthens the ability of rural regions to respond to unpredictable and urgent challenges, including risks to food and resource security in unstable times. By connecting municipalities, SMEs, public authorities, and business support organisations, it creates networks for rapid information exchange and coordinated action.

The project will develop the following deliverables and output:

  • The Rural Symbiosis Toolbox (O1.1): The main project output consisting of tested business models, waste-stream valorisation methods, facilitation templates, a digital co-learning platform, and a stakeholder engagement kit.
  • Regional Roadmaps (D1.4): A set of strategic, region-specific guides providing actionable steps for business support organisations to integrate rural symbiosis into real-world business practices and regional policies.
  • Open Innovation Hackathon Report (D1.2): Documentation of the design and results of a pilot hackathon hosted at the Daibe waste management facility in Latvia to co-create solutions for organic, plastic, and agricultural waste fractions.
  • BSR Agendas for Joint Actions (D1.3): Inter-regional action plans built on a value proposition canvas connecting regions around shared circular bioeconomy measures.
  • Rural Symbiosis Communication Package (D1.5): A dissemination product hosting policy recommendations, case stories, and outreach toolkits to ensure long-term usability.

Project Duration: 01/07/2026 – 30/06/2028

The consortium brings together the following organisations from 6 Baltic Sea Region countries: Estonia, Sweden, Poland, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia:

Partner 1 (Lead Partner): Pärnu County Development Center (Sihtasutus Pärnumaa Arenduskeskus)

Partner 2: The Paper Province economic association (The Paper Province ekonomisk förening)

Partner 3: Torsby Municipality (Torsby Kommun)

Partner 4: Foundation of Education and Social Dialogue “PRO CIVIS” (Fundacja Edukacji i Dialogu Społecznego “PRO CIVIS”)

Partner 5: Center for Business Promotion and Entrepreneurship in Sandomierz (Ośrodek Promowania i Wspierania Przedsiębiorczości Rolnej)

Partner 6: Jamk University of Applied Sciences (Jyväskylän ammattikorkeakoulu)

Partner 7: Panevėžys Development Agency (Panevėžio plėtros agentūra)

Partner 8: SIA ZAAO (SIA ZAAO)

Partner 9: Vidzeme Planning Region (Vidzemes plānošanas reģions)