Vision

On our plate lies the future health of the European people and the entire planet. The vision of the EU-co-funded FutureFoodS partnership is to collectively achieve healthy, safe, environmentally friendly, socially secure, fair, and economically viable food systems for Europe. Globally, we hear the urgent call for more sustainable food systems (FAO 2021). Hunger and unhealthy eating habits are both rising, while climate change is disrupting food production and distribution. Currently unsustainable food systems are also exacerbating climate change, which intensifies the call for a transformation. A wide range of stakeholders has joined to build a sustainable, inter-connected and territorialized European food system by 2050 and beyond. FutureFoodS joins 86 partners from 29 countries including national and regional authorities, funding agencies, universities, research institutes, foundations, and competitiveness clusters.

Mission

The mission is to mobilize research and innovation in Europe to accelerate the transition from linear food chains towards circular food systems that function within planetary boundaries. The food chains include production, processing, distribution, and consumption. The Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) serves as the backbone of this effort, with the goal of identifying key levers of change to be implemented across Europe, considering social, economic, and environmental factors.

The key objectives apply across 4 research areas:

  • Change the way we eat

  • Change the way we process and supply food

  • Change the way we connect with food systems

  • Change the way we govern food systems

Actions of the partnership span 4 transversal activities:

  • Pooling research and innovation resources and programming to harmonize efforts

  • Launching an observatory to track the state of the food systems transition

  • Establishing a knowledge Hub of Living Labs to maintain a participative approach

  • Sharing knowledge to strengthen the food systems community

Approach

Using a systems approach, we identify all elements and interdependencies within food systems, including production, processing, packaging, logistics, marketing, retail, consumption, waste management, and all their feedback loops. European food systems are especially complex, with numerous interdependencies across regions, resources, and actors.

In the course of this 10-year partnership, six external project-funding calls will be organized, with topics prioritized based on the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) which is continually updated according to recent research. An observatory will be launched to track and analyze food system transitions and identify potential change levers. A participative approach will be implemented to ensure inclusion of all system actors, including policies. Living labs will play an essential role in this approach. A knowledge hub will be set up based on the network of living labs. Further, activities will be organized for knowledge sharing, strengthening and expansion of the FutureFoodS community, and multiplication of the impact and value of project activities and outcomes.

Context

FutureFoodS partnership is co-funded by the European Commission, within the Horizon Europe Framework Program. Collectively the goals of the Farm to Fork strategy of the European Green Deal will be achieved aiming to make food systems fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly, which is in line with the global ambitions of the UN Sustainable Food Summit 2021. The Food2030 agenda will serve as a guide for this partnership, as well as the SCAR (Standing Committee on Agricultural Research) Food Systems Strategic Working Group, and the FutureFoodS SRIA.

How can you engage?

  1. Participate in Calls: Join one of six external calls over ten years, focusing on projects that address at least two sustainability dimensions with a multidisciplinary approach.

  2. Build Capacity: Engage in knowledge sharing, contribute to the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA), and participate in activities that expand and strengthen the FutureFoodS community.

  3. Join Living Labs: Collaborate with diverse stakeholders in Living Labs to co-create sustainable food systems and develop innovative solutions.