Expected Impacts

OLIWA Expected Impacts

1. Food Loss and Waste Reduction Impact

Target Achievement: Minimum 25% reduction in food losses and waste

  • Prevention of food loss at retail and consumer levels through antioxidant and functional biopackaging solutions derived from olive by-products
  • Extension of meat product shelf life from current 5-7 days at 4°C to 6-8.5 days at 4-8°C through integration of natural extracts and biopackaging
  • Combination of upcycling (improving shelf life through antioxidants and functional biopackaging) and recovery of olive by-products and other waste streams expected to achieve call target of at least 25% reduction in food losses and waste in demonstrations

2. Alternative Protein Development and Feed Security Impact

Target: 50-100% substitution of conventional proteins with sustainable alternatives

  • Creation of sustainable insect-based protein alternatives to reduce EU dependency on imported feeds (currently only 29% of high-protein feedstock originates in EU)
  • Development of 7 new feed formulations based on insects and 3 based on natural extracts for poultry and fish farming
  • Enhancement of protein digestibility by 60-80% with insect protein supplementation while increasing larval phenolic compounds by 25%

3. Circular Economy Model Implementation Impact

Target: 50-75% overall reduction in olive by-products through circular valorization

  • Establishment of zero-waste circular economy model across six Mediterranean countries (Italy, Spain, Greece, Turkey, Algeria, Tunisia)
  • Achievement of 75% reduction in olive waste through 70% olive by-products inclusion in insect rearing (approximately 5% bioconversion, 80% substrate reduction)
  • Repurposing of 25% of total weight of leaves/olive skin processed through natural extract production

4. Renewable Energy Production Impact

Target: 20% increase in alternative energy source utilization

  • Generation of biogas yields exceeding 599.4 m³ with over 60% from OLIWA alternate sources including:
    • 700 m³/ton from poultry waste (65% energy conversion efficiency)
    • 500 m³/ton from insect frass (60% energy conversion efficiency)
    • 600 m³/ton from olive by-products (70% energy conversion efficiency)
  • Cost efficiency targets of 10% reduction in production costs and 15% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions

5. Enhanced Food Quality and Preservation Impact

Target: 5-20% improvement in food shelf life and quality

  • Development of biodegradable packaging with 5-10% increase in shelf life without reduction of mechanical and barrier properties
  • 20% shelf life improvement through integration of natural extracts, polysaccharides, and proteins from olive by-products and insects
  • Increase of polyunsaturated and saturated fatty acids in chicken meat by 15-17%, antioxidant activity by 40-60% in chicken meat and liver
  • 90% increase in phenolic content in meat and 60% in liver through natural extract supplementation

6. Economic and Social Impact

Target: 5% increase in farmer revenues and 5% reduction in food prices

  • Enhanced stakeholder collaboration among 300+ participants through multi-stakeholder approach
  • Socioeconomic benefits including approximately 5% increase in farmers’ and stakeholders’ revenues
  • 5% reduction in food prices due to waste reduction and improved efficiency
  • Creation of specialized jobs and promotion of new technologies strengthening automotive and related industries

7. Environmental Sustainability Impact

Target: 5% reduction in CO2 emissions and improved resource efficiency

  • 5% reduction in CO2 emissions through circular economy implementation
  • 80-90% reduction in olive oil production waste through comprehensive valorization
  • Improved water barrier properties of bio-based packages by up to 30% using olive leaf wax layers
  • Maintenance of antioxidant activity around 175μg GAE/g DW at 6% w/w olive leaf extracts in biopackaging

8. Scientific and Technological Innovation Impact

Target: Advancement of TRL levels and knowledge generation

  • Advancement of technologies from TRL 4-6 to TRL 6-8 across different applications:
    • Olive waste natural extracts: TRL4 → TRL6
    • Olive pomace for insects: TRL4 → TRL7
    • Insects as feeds: TRL6 → TRL8
    • Biopackaging additives: TRL6 → TRL8
    • Biogas production: TRL5 → TRL7
  • Generation of at least 10 open access scientific publications and multiple patent applications

9. Policy and Regulatory Impact

Target: Influence on EU and national policies

  • Production of joint policy briefs (1 per year with other projects, 1 per partner country annually)
  • Contribution to EU Green Deal objectives, Farm to Fork Strategy, and Circular Economy Action Plan
  • Support for EU protein strategy addressing dependency on imported protein sources
  • Advancement of sustainable packaging regulations and biogas promotion policies

10. Market and Industrial Impact

Target: Support for growing market sectors

  • Contribution to rapidly growing markets:
    • Global natural extracts market: USD 13.29 billion (2024) → USD 28.08 billion (2033)
    • Global insect protein market: USD 0.8 billion (2022) → USD 3.3 billion (2027)
    • European insect protein market: USD 235.45 million (2023) → USD 1794.41 million (2031)
    • Global bio-based packaging: USD 7.92 billion (2022) → USD 25.86 billion (2032)
    • European biogas market: USD 1.67 billion (2020) → USD 3.47 billion (2028)

11. Regional Mediterranean Impact

Target: Strengthened Mediterranean cooperation and development

  • Enhanced collaboration across Mediterranean region addressing common challenges in olive waste management
  • Promotion of sustainable agriculture practices adapted to Mediterranean climate conditions
  • Support for rural development and agricultural competitiveness in partner countries
  • Strengthened research and innovation capacity in Lower and Middle Income Countries (Algeria, Tunisia, Turkey)

12. Gender and Social Inclusion Impact

Target: 50% women participation in training activities

  • Enhanced capacity building with specific focus on women’s participation in sustainable agriculture
  • 240 trainees across 12 training classes with gender-balanced participation
  • Strengthened social cohesion through multi-stakeholder engagement and cooperative approaches

13. Knowledge Transfer and Capacity Building Impact

Target: Widespread knowledge dissemination and adoption

  • Engagement of approximately 300 stakeholders through focus groups and training activities
  • Establishment of online collaborative platform with target of 500+ subscribers
  • Development of replicable business models for each demonstration local value chain
  • Creation of guidelines and best practices for wider Mediterranean adoption

14. Long-term Sustainability Impact

Target: Self-sustaining circular economy model

  • Establishment of financially viable business models ensuring continued operation beyond project duration
  • Technology transfer protocols enabling replication in other Mediterranean regions
  • Policy framework contributions supporting long-term implementation
  • Industry partnerships ensuring commercial viability and scaling potential

The expected impacts demonstrate OLIWA’s comprehensive approach to addressing Mediterranean agricultural challenges while contributing to broader EU objectives for sustainability, circular economy, and food security. The project’s multi-dimensional impact spans environmental, economic, social, and technological domains, creating lasting benefits for the Mediterranean region and beyond.