The BBioNets Advisory Board (AB) will play a key role throughout the duration of the project, complementing the consortium’s efforts by providing strategic guidance on the BBioNets activities, supporting the validation and credibility of the main project outcomes, and increasing their visibility and sustainability.

The AB will comprise a diverse pool of professionals from various backgrounds and expertise in the sectors of forestry and agriculture, such as representatives of Operational Groups, cooperative/farmer associations, cooperative/forest associations, and regional authorities.

All AB members will function as “project consultants” providing valuable feedback to align project activities and outcomes with the needs of users and stakeholders, as well as “project ambassadors,” helping the promotion and dissemination of the project through their various networks. Drawing upon their extensive networks, they will facilitate collaborations and alliances to ensure BBioNets’ successful implementation.

The BBioNets AB is expected to:

• Validate the “regional scenarios”, i.e. a list of the most suitable Bio-Based Technologies for each targeted region.
• Test the BBTs assessment tool, i.e. an online tool matching the most suitable Bio-Based Technologies to each target region based on technical, environmental, economic, and social aspects.
• Suggest relevant Bio-Based Technologies and EIP-AGRI Operational Groups to include in the BBioNets online inventory and knowledge collection.
• Recommend the most suitable communication and dissemination channels to enhance the project outreach.
• Occasionally participate in BBioNets online meetings.

The 4-step process followed for the identification of the experts to be involved in the BBioNets AB is the following:

1. Nominations: each partner identified and proposed experts according to the expertise and profile needed for the project.
2. Assessment and selection: the proposed candidates were assessed, and the most suitable ones were selected.
3. Invitation and engagement: partners formally invited the experts selected by sending them the pertinent administrative documentation from the invitation kit.
4. Acceptance: the experts who accepted the invitation signed the requested documents signed.

As a result of the partners’ efforts, the Advisory Board at this early stage of the project is composed of eleven (11) experts who are committed to meet their role as BBioNets AB members.