Our commitment to fostering innovation and sustainability in the food system is at the forefront of everything we do. Recently, WATSON had the privilege of participating in a collaborative meeting with several Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe projects, all of which are members of the Sustainable Food System Innovation Platform. This gathering was a great opportunity to share insights, explore synergies and strengthen our collective impact on the European food system.
A convergence of pioneering projects
The meeting brought together key players in the EU-funded landscape, each contributing unique perspectives and expertise to the shared goal of transforming our food systems.
Some of the managing projects that joined the meeting included EU4Advice, FAIRCHAIN, COREnet and WASTELESS. The EU-FarmBook and Oren Project were also attending the meeting.
- EU4Advice is a Horizon Europe project that focuses on bolstering short food supply chain (SFSC) advisory services across Europe. This project is creating a common network that connects SFSC advisors from the 27 EU member states, enhancing the economic, social, and environmental sustainability of food supply chains. By integrating SFSC-related advisory services, tools, and content into national Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS), EU4Advice is working to improve AKIS governance across the continent.
- FAIRCHAIN is a Horizon 2020 project that aims to transform the current food system by developing intermediate food chains that balance the benefits of both short and long supply chains. By scaling up smaller actors and encouraging larger, conventional actors to downscale, FAIRCHAIN is making strides in the dairy, fruit and vegetable value chains.
- COREnet is another key initiative, funded by Horizon Europe, that supports the systematic development of more effective SFSC advising. Through a pan-European peer-to-peer learning network for SFSC experts, COREnet fosters interactions among advisors, farmers and consumers, promoting a holistic, systemic and collaborative approach.
- WASTELESS, a Horizon Europe project, is dedicated to tackling the pressing issue of food loss and waste. This project is developing innovative tools and methodological recommendations for measuring and monitoring food loss and food waste, a critical step toward reducing waste in the food system and promoting sustainability.
- EU-FarmBook is a Horizon Europe project that is building a digital platform designed to gather and share agriculture and forestry knowledge at regional, national and European levels, creating a valuable resource for stakeholders across the agriculture and forestry sectors, facilitating knowledge exchange and fostering innovation.
- Oren Project is an Erasmus+ project focused on empowering rural entrepreneurs with the tools they need to innovate and thrive.
The role of the Sustainable Food System Innovation Platform
WATSON is proud to be one of the managing projects of the Sustainable Food System Innovation Platform—a collaborative initiative dedicated to driving innovation and sustainability within Europe’s food systems. This platform serves as a hub for knowledge exchange and strategic collaboration among leading projects. By working together, these projects aim to address the complex challenges facing the food sector, from enhancing short food supply chains to reducing food waste and promoting sustainable practices.
The platform not only fosters synergy among the participating projects but also amplifies the impact of each initiative by coordinating efforts and aligning objectives.
The recent meeting was not just a gathering of projects, but a convergence of ideas and strategies aimed at driving innovation in the agricultural and food sectors. The synergy between these diverse initiatives is creating a dynamic environment where ideas can be shared, challenges can be addressed collaboratively, and innovative solutions can be developed.
We believe that collaboration is key to achieving WATSON’s goals. The insights and knowledge gained from this meeting will undoubtedly influence our approach as we move forward!
