Monitoring the sustainability of the bioeconomy - Pilot in Uruguay

The project addresses the gap in methods and data for monitoring the sustainability of the bioeconomy. It aimed to develop two complementary monitoring systems: one for tracking qualitative biomass flows of major agricultural commodities and their sustainability and circularity, and another for analyzing bio-based sectors within the broader economy. Both studies were applied to Uruguay as a case study, with the ambition of providing a comprehensive analysis of the bioeconomy’s sustainability.

• FAO Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment
• FAO Uruguay
• Thuenen Institute
• The Ministry of livestock, agriculture and fisheries of Uruguay 

National governments seeking to measure and monitor the sustainability of the bioeconomy.

• A global expert workshop to explore various bioeconomy monitoring methodologies.
• Collaboration with global experts to design the project framework.
• At the country level, the key activity was a multistakeholder process for selecting indicators, official data, and value chains for analysis.

A comprehensive methodology for monitoring bioeconomy sustainability was developed and successfully pilot-tested in Uruguay. his methodology contributes to monitoring progress towards  SDG 12, particularly with regard to improving the efficiency and competitiveness of agrifood systems. Due to its success, other countries have expressed interest in applying it. A final report, published in 2023, outlines the methodology ("the what") and provides a detailed case study of Uruguay’s inclusive process ("the how"), offering practical guidance for its replication.