On July 21st, more than 100 students and faculty members from Sanjivani College of Engineering, Kopargaon, India, joined an online guest lecture delivered by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hynek Roubík, Dean of Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences and Director of BRT. 

 

In his lecture titled “Innovations in Bioeconomy and Waste-to-Energy: Practical Pathways for Sustainable Rural Development,” Dr. Roubík addressed global challenges related to food waste, environmental sustainability, and rural livelihoods. He emphasized the alarming paradox of global food availability versus undernourishment and explained how one-third of food produced is wasted - draining valuable resources and increasing greenhouse gas emissions. 

 

Dr. Roubík introduced the concept of the circular bioeconomy, grounded in three principles: use of renewable biological resources, smart resource utilization, and waste recovery. Through practical examples from Southeast Asia and Africa, he showcased how low-tech, small-scale biogas systems can transform organic waste into clean energy, benefiting rural communities both economically and socially. 

 

Highlighting a large-scale biogas plant project in Indonesia, he illustrated the “triple dividend” approach—delivering ecological, economic, and social gains. Dr. Roubík also emphasized the power of applied research, community participation, and digital innovation in shaping sustainable solutions. 

 

The session concluded with a discussion on how such innovations contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially in the domains of food security, clean energy, and education. Dr. Roubík extended an invitation to students to explore collaboration and educational opportunities within his research division. 

 

 

This invited lecture was supported by OSIRIS project (funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme) under grant agreement No. 101094725.