FOODPathS: Towards a new EU partnership to co-create and co-fund research & innovation activities that make our food systems sustainable

Published on August 5, 2022

INRAe (France's National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment), a SFS Programme Advisory Committee member, is coordinating the new EU-funded project FOODPathS, which kicked off with its seventeen partner organisations lon 29th June. The project - a so-called EU "Coordination and Support Action" - aims to coordinate EU policy priorities on food, and will set up a prototype of the European “Partnership for Sustainable Food Systems for people, planet and climate”, which is set to be a new European governance model for the co-creation and co-funding of research & innovation activities for the advancement of sustainable food systems. As European Food Systems are affected by complex challenges requiring a systemic approach, FOODPathS creates a powerful network with diverse public and private entities to accelerate the food systems transition.

“FOODPathS will catalyse collective actions that lead to future sustainable food systems in Europe - at the same time, we want to reinforce the rich cultural food heritage of EU Member States in a sustainable way!” Said Hugo De Vries, a Research Director at INRAE and project coordinator of FOODPathS.

A powerful network, involving all actors is key to change our food systems

The transition towards more sustainable and healthier food systems relies upon interactions between all actors of the food system. However, different perspectives and interests of actors can easily lead to barriers. To overcome these, coordinated R&I actions and best practices are needed, changing the way we produce, process and eat food, connect citizens with food production, and govern food systems in Europe.

Via FOODPathS, researchers, NGOs, policymakers, citizens and entrepreneurs will be involved in creating a first version of the Partnership. This includes the creation of a strategic roadmap that outlines the research priorities to be co-funded during the next years. Also, the project will explore various Living Lab concepts, that put users in the centre of innovation processes using real life settings. Such co-creation projects aim to involve diverse stakeholders at various levels. Next, FOODPathS will play a key role in understanding, demonstrating, and monitoring the sustainability performance of food systems. FOODPathS will also strongly support knowledge transfer via improved training networks, courses and outreach activities.

The mission-orientation of the “Partnership for Sustainable Food Systems for people, planet and climate” will be informed and build on the EU Green Deal and its Farm to Fork and Biodiversity strategies, and will take on a food systems approach.

The FOODPathS consortium is looking forward to connect with other networks and stakeholders to support each other in easing the food systems transition.

FOODPathS partners

INRAE - National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (France)
Aarhus University (Denmark)
Jülich Forschungszentrum (Germany)
FoodDrinkEurope (Belgium)
ANIA – Association Nationale des Industries Alimenatires (France)
FIAB – Federación Española de Industrias de la Alimentación y Bebidas (Spain)
Confagricoltura (Italy)
EFFoST (The Netherlands)
Polish Academy of Science – Institute of Rural and Agricultural Development (Poland)
ICLEI (Germany)
Fondazione Cariplo (Italy)
European Foundation Centre (Belgium)
EUFIC – European Food Information Council (Belgium)
ZonMw (The Netherlands)
ISEKI-Food Association (Austria)
INRAE Transfert (France)
Seinajoki University of Applied Sciences (Finland)