Managing projects | Sustainable Food System Innovation Platform

Collaboration is a key to success and two H2020 projects CO-FRESH and FAIRCHAIN put collaboration into action. These projects increase the competitiveness and sustainability of agri-food value chains through innovations, new approaches, and knowledge sharing. Together, they maintain and grow this Innovation Platform by

Sharing project information on food supply chain innovations;
Publicizing through thePlatform Initiative Inventory;
Generating training materials on best practices in food supply chain;
And ultimately engaging more and more stakeholders in innovative food supply chains.

Current:

The FAIRCHAIN Project develops intermediate food value chains in fruit & vegetable and dairy sectors. These combine elements from short and long value chains for food systems that are more sustainable environmentally, socially, and economically. The focus is on postharvest, where there are processing and retail power imbalances in conventional supply chains.

The CO-FRESH Project aims to provide techniques, tools and insights on how to make agri-food value chains more environmentally sustainable, socio-economically balanced and economically competitive. The project pilots several agri-food value chain innovations to see how they, in combination, can improve environmental and socio-economic sustainability.

The EU4ADVICE Project will promote sustainable short food supply chain (SFSC) models. These should empower producers and consumers, reduce the environmental footprint of food systems, and enhance the competitiveness of the agri-food system. Identifying and connecting SFSC advisers will boost their role as catalysers of knowledge flow from research to practice. Ultimately, effective integration into national AKIS will result. Website coming soon!

The WASTELESS Project (2023-2025) aims to develop and test a mix of innovative tools and methodologies for food losses and waste (FLW) measurement and monitoring. Additionally, it will also carry research activities on innovative processes and streams to valorise unavoidable FLW. WASTELESS ambition is to promote the reduction of FLW by at least 20% annually.

COREnet is an EU-funded project that supports the systematic development of more effective advising on Short Food Supply Chains (SFSC) through a pan-European peer-to-peer learning network for SFSC practitioners. COREnet continues the work initiated by the H2020 project "SKIN", where most of its partners come from. SKIN advocated for a new, dedicated EU network for SFSC advisors.

The WATSON project aims to provide a methodological framework combined with a set of tools and systems that can detect and prevent fraudulent activities throughout the whole food chain thus accelerating the deployment of transparency solutions in the EU food systems. This framework will improve the sustainability of food chains by increasing food safety and reducing food fraud through systemic innovations that will increase transparency in food supply chains through improved track-and-trace mechanisms containing accurate, time-relevant, and untampered information for the food product throughout its whole journey, plus also aims to equip authorities and policymakers with data, knowledge, and insights to have the complete situational awareness of the food chain.

Finished:

The SMARTCHAIN Project aimed to accelerate the shift towards collaborative short food supply chains (SFSCs) by introducing robust business models and innovative practical solutions.