Engineering Innovation in
Smart Agriculture
An innovative collaborative circular food system to reduce food waste and losses in the agri-food chain.
Approach & Solution
Approach
Reducing food loss and waste has been identified as an essential requirement in achieving global food security. In this sense, there is a clear need for greater efficiency in the use of food, reducing waste and improving the resilience of local and global food systems, through the adoption of a new holistic approach that integrates not only all aspects of food growing, harvesting and processing, but also the complexities associated with balanced and safe food consumption.
To this end, an innovative solution capable of monitoring food losses and waste at every stage of the agri-food value chain and taking corrective action based on the principles of the circular economy and on solid cooperation between all stakeholders is one of the main keys to reducing food losses and waste.
To this end, an innovative solution capable of monitoring food losses and waste at every stage of the agri-food value chain and taking corrective action based on the principles of the circular economy and on solid cooperation between all stakeholders is one of the main keys to reducing food losses and waste.
Solution
FOODRUS will develop 23 circular solutions to limit food losses and waste along the agri-food value chain through different forms of collaborative innovation including: technological innovation (blockchain solutions), social innovation (educational materials and citizen science activities to promote sustainable consumption habits), organisational innovation (last mile networks to foster local consumption and donation), and fiscal innovation (new ‘Pay As You Throw’ schemes).
The FOODRUS solutions will be tested at three demonstrations across Europe: a cross-regional Spanish pilot focused on vegetables and prepared salads; a Danish pilot centred on meat and fish; and a Slovakian pilot analysing the bread value chain. The project has received co-funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101000617
The FOODRUS solutions will be tested at three demonstrations across Europe: a cross-regional Spanish pilot focused on vegetables and prepared salads; a Danish pilot centred on meat and fish; and a Slovakian pilot analysing the bread value chain. The project has received co-funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101000617
Results
To reduce the food losses and the generation of food waste
To provide precise reliable and long-term quantification and monitoring of the FW
To introduce Blockchain and FL and FW prevention criteria in the certification processes
To promote efficiency in the use of resources through all the stages of the FVC
To implement and validate ICT tools to optimize food production and FL and FW management
Project value
Cost cutting
Innovation
Process performance
Enabling Technologies
Digital Twin
IoT
Blockchain
Cloud
AI Advanced Analytics
Project Team
Research & Innovation