- Cultivating marginal lands: Sustainable solutions for new opportunities
- 22nd of May, 9:00h-13:30h.
- PSA: Solar Platform of Almería & Online
- Register here
Workshop Overview
Marginal lands, those with edaphic, water, or climatic limitations that reduce their agricultural potential, represent both a challenge and an opportunity for Europe. Often located in arid, mountainous, or degraded areas, these lands have traditionally been underutilized or abandoned. However, in the current context of climate change, the need for agricultural diversification, and growing pressure on fertile land, recovering and adding value to these areas has become especially relevant.
One of the main challenges lies in their accurate identification and mapping. Marginal lands lack a single definition or universal criteria, making planning, management, and policy development more complex. Furthermore, identifying viable crops adapted to such conditions—without compromising ecosystems—requires research, innovation, and a sustainable, territory-based approach.
This workshop brings together researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to address these key issues. It will showcase progress in the European mapping of marginal lands, and present initiatives such as the BeonNAT, MIDAS, MarginUp, and ALVELAL projects, which explore productive models based on bioeconomy, landscape restoration, and the cultivation of climate-resilient crops. The role of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) as a driving force for these strategies will also be discussed.
The event will include a technical visit to the PSA (Solar Platform of Almería) facilities and will take place both onsite and online
Workshop Agenda
9:00h – 9:30h – Registration of participants
9:30h – 9:40h – Opening & Welcome Address | Guillermo Zaragoza. Director of PSA.
9:40h – 10:10h – Mapping Marginal Lands in Europe: Current Status and Projections to 2050 | Berien Elbersen (PhD). Earth Observation and Environmental Informatics Department. Wageningen Environmental Research (WENR).
10:10h – 10:40h – The BeonNAT project | Luis Saúl Esteban Pascual. Dr. of Forest Engineering. CEDER-CIEMAT.
10:40h – 11:00h – COFFEE BREAK
11:00h – 11:30h – The MIDAS project | Almudena Olivas del Rey. Dr. of Agricultural Engineering. Instituto Técnico Agronómico de Albacete.
11:30h – 12:00h – The MarginUp project | Jerónimo González Cortés. Dr. of Agricultural Engineering. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas de Extremadura.
12:00h – 12:30h – ALVELAL. Landscape Restoration Model in Semiarid Areas | Miguel Ángel Gómez Tenorio. Dr. of Agricultural Engineering. Associate professor at the University of Almería.
12:30h – 13:00h – Marginal lands and Common Agricultural Policy | Tomás García Azcárate. CSIC. Dr of Agricultural Engineering and Agricultural Economist.
13:00h – 13:15h – Conclusions and final remarks.
13:15h – 14:15h – Visit to PSA installations and laboratories.
14:15h – 15:15 – LUNCH
15:30h – END
The Venue
PSA: Solar Platform of Almería & Online
We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Horizon Europe programme and the Circular Bio-Based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU) for their continued support in advancing sustainable land use and bioeconomy innovation across Europe. Initiatives like BeonNAT, MIDAS, MarginUp, and ALVELAL are made possible through this essential EU funding, which drives collaboration, research, and real-world impact. By investing in the transformation of marginal lands, these programmes help unlock new pathways for biomass valorisation, ecosystem restoration, and rural development, which are key pillars in the transition toward a circular, climate-resilient future. We are grateful for their commitment to empowering projects that turn overlooked landscapes into sustainable opportunities for Europe.
The Workshop Presentations
Presentations will be uploaded once the Workshop is finished!
