On 4 September 2025, the Agrifood Research and Technology Centre of Aragon (CITA) hosted a co-creation workshop as part of the European PEATLESS project, bringing together key stakeholders from across the horticultural seedling value chain. The event focused on advancing sustainable alternatives to peat in horticultural substrates, reinforcing the project’s commitment to reducing environmental impact while maintaining technical and economic viability.
Strengthening Collaboration Across the Value Chain
The workshop gathered 27 participants, including substrate manufacturers, horticultural growers, researchers, and other strategic actors within the sector. This diverse representation ensured a comprehensive exchange of perspectives, aligning technical expertise with real-world production challenges.
The primary objective of the session was to identify sector needs, technical challenges, and emerging opportunities related to the replacement of peat with alternative growing media in horticultural seedling production. Equally important was fostering open dialogue and knowledge exchange among stakeholders to encourage collaborative innovation.
Addressing Technical Limitations and Market Barriers
Throughout the day, participants engaged in structured, participatory activities designed to generate practical insights. Discussions focused on:
These collaborative sessions enabled participants to share direct field experiences, highlighting both operational constraints and promising solutions.
Driving Sustainable Innovation in Substrate Development
The recommendations and proposals collected during the workshop will directly contribute to the development of sustainable, sector-adapted substrate solutions. By grounding innovation in real production needs, the PEATLESS project ensures that proposed alternatives are not only environmentally responsible but also technically reliable and economically feasible.
This co-creation workshop represents another milestone in the PEATLESS project’s collaborative approach. By actively involving stakeholders throughout the research and innovation process, the project strengthens adoption potential and ensures solutions are tailored to the sector’s operational realities.
