INCiTiS-FOOD’s Post

We're excited to share that ProVeg International has prepared a special welcome pack for the newly elected Members of the European Parliament! 🇪🇺 As the new legislative mandate begins, we are taking proactive steps to build meaningful relationships with EU policymakers. Our welcome pack includes: ✉️ An introductory letter from our Global CEO, Jasmijn de Boo 📃 A detailed policy letter with our key recommendations for the EU to advance the transition towards a sustainable food system 📒 A booklet highlighting ProVeg International’s mission, key projects and achievements 📊 A policy brief examining the potential of a plant-forward transition that explains why investing in alternative proteins would be beneficial for national economies as well as our planet. Why are we doing this? We want to ensure policymakers are aware of the benefits of transitioning towards more plant-centric diets and ensure that sustainable food policies are high on the EU agenda. Together, we can shape a sustainable and healthy food future for the EU, and beyond! #Proveg #EUPolicy #SustainableFoodSystem #EUelections

Reflecting on the FOOD 2030 Networks Conference! 🌍 From March 5th to 7th, the #FOOD2030 Networks Conference brought together stakeholders in Brussels to explore transformative food system innovation. As a proud consortium partner, #HDHL actively participated in shaping the dialogue. A #highlight from Day 1 was the emphasis on the FOOD2030 Project Collaboration Network, which now encompasses 78 projects totaling €450 million. This robust commitment to collective action signals a pivotal opportunity to influence policy and drive positive change within the EU and beyond. Want to learn more about the discussions and insights from the conference? Read more below! 👇 #FOOD2030 #Sustainability #Innovation #CollectiveAction #EU #HDHL #FoodSystemsTransformation

🌟 Coming soon 🌟 Through a collaborative effort among 19 leading European academic, research, and industry organizations, the FoodSafeR project is creating an Open Digital Hub. This hub will unite a community of professionals from the European and international food safety system, providing a comprehensive set of frameworks, tools, methods, strategies, models, guidance, and training materials. These resources aim to address emerging microbial and chemical food safety hazards and related contaminant risks using cutting-edge science. Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting Horizon Europe initiative led by FFoQSI. 🚀 AIT Austrian Institute of Technology I Wageningen University & Research I Universiteit Gent l Agricultural University of Athens l Queen's University Belfast l Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung l IRIS Technology Solutions l BioSense Institute l Biomin Holding GmbH l Barilla Group l Nemzeti Élelmiszerlánc-biztonsági Hivatal l Global Food Regulatory Science Society (GFoRSS)) l Food Safety Authority of Ireland l Nestlé l Universidad de Burgos l BIGH #EverybodysBusiness #FoodSafety #FoodSafetyHazards #FoodSafetyRisks #Digital

I had the honor of spending the last two days with brilliant and dedicated individuals, discussing the challenges and opportunities that the #EUDR presents for #smallholder farmers. My key takeaways from our discussions include: - **Integration of Smallholder Farmers**: It is crucial to include smallholder farmers who are not part of a producer organization or trader cluster, as they represent the majority of farmers. Excluding these farmers from the market would be catastrophic. - **Deforestation and Poverty**: Deforestation often stems from poverty. Ensuring smallholder farmers can continue to sell their products and supporting them to achieve a living income is essential. - **Data Ownership and Governance**: Data collection must not be extractive. Farmers own their data and should derive value from it. Effective data governance is essential, and access to data should not limit farmers' commercialization options. - **Inclusive Financing Mechanisms**: Financing mechanisms need to encompass the entire supply chain and include smallholder farmers. Climate & Company - **Pre-Competitive EUDR Compliance**: EUDR compliance should be a pre-competitive effort, with all stakeholders working together towards common goals. Facilitating communities where organizations can learn from and support each other is key. - **Interoperable Data Systems**: Reliable data is essential for decision-making. Data systems should be interoperable to prevent multiple reporting and redundant data collection efforts, which can be costly and burdensome for farmers. Resources should be focused on implementation and improving farmers' livelihoods. #DIASCA - **Tangible Value from Avoiding Deforestation**: Smallholder farmers need to perceive tangible value from avoiding deforestation. Besides access to the EU market, solutions like #ACORN #Rabobank provide the required traceability and geospatial information necessary to prove coffee has not been grown in deforested areas while enabling farmers to earn additional income from carbon credits. Thank you so much to the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH team - Lars Kahnert #DIASCA and Ulrike Niesmann International Coffee Organization #CPPTF for inviting me to be part of this invaluable discussion. Congratulations #TeamEurope Producers Direct, CIAT, #SustainableAgricultureforForestEcosystems (SAFE) for the initiative and impeccable organization.

🔜 The FoodSafeR project, a collaborative effort among 19 leading European academic, research, and industry organizations, is creating an Open Digital Hub. This Hub will unite professionals from across the European and global food safety landscape, offering a robust suite of frameworks, tools, methods, strategies, models, guidance, and training materials. By leveraging cutting-edge science, the project aims to address and mitigate emerging microbial and chemical food safety hazards and related contaminant risks. Discover more about this Horizon Europe initiative, coordinated by FFoQSI, at www.foodsafer.com 🚀 AIT Austrian Institute of Technology I Wageningen University & Research I Universiteit Gent l Agricultural University of Athens l Queen's University Belfast l Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung l IRIS Technology Solutions l BioSense Institute l Biomin Holding GmbH l Barilla Group l Nemzeti Élelmiszerlánc-biztonsági Hivatal l Global Food Regulatory Science Society (GFoRSS) l Food Safety Authority of Ireland l Nestlé l Universidad de Burgos l BIGH #EverybodysBusiness #FoodSafety #FoodSafetyHazards #FoodSafetyRisks #Digital

📢 Save the Date 📆

By participating in the CUES EU Project, ICLEI hopes to contribute to Consumer Understanding of Eating Sustainably 🥗. The four-year project has officially started and we are proud to be part of it! Our mission? To foster sustainable food consumption through a Triple Change strategy: 🌍 Shifting consumer behaviours towards sustainable eating to cultivate a culture of sustainability and health-consciousness. 🔍 Integrating the most persuasive cues to boost transparency, traceability, and trustworthiness in food labelling throughout the value chain. 🤝 Engaging policymakers at EU and national levels to advocate for inclusive and smart approaches to communicate food sustainability. Together with our project partners (Banco Alimentar Contra a Fome, Tudatos Vásárlók Egyesülete, European Football for Development Network, and Opendot), ICLEI will manage community-led interventions across various #foodenvironments, both physical and digital, prioritising the inclusion of all voices. These interventions will culminate in the development of a Behaviour Change Toolkit designed to promote #sustainable food consumption. Follow the CUES page to learn more!

The EU food and drink industry is a catalyst for industrial growth, sustainability and security in Europe. 🍽️ 🌍 🛡 FoodDrinkEurope has unveiled a 5-step plan for EU policymakers to unleash our potential to lead the world on sustainability, innovation, and competitiveness. 💶 Stimulate investment 👩🔬 Support innovation 🚢 Boost trade and secure supply 📜 Design better regulation 👩💼 Improve governance “EU food and drink makers number nearly 300,000 businesses, with nine out of ten employing fewer than 20 people. Yet they contribute €110 billion in wages annually, purchase 70% of all EU farm produce, and invest over €2 billion in innovative, sustainably-produced products." "With the right support, we have the ability to significantly enhance Europe's competitiveness, provide societal stability, and invest in resilient food systems." - Dirk Jacobs, Director General of FoodDrinkEurope See the full 5-step plan for a sustainable and competitive #FoodFuture in Europe ⬇

🥁 On my way to FoodRevolution 2024 in Parma! The conference will start on Monday October 21st at 13.00h! I am very much looking forward to meet many like-minded professionals that are as passionate as I am about making the food system more fair and sustainable. 🔎 At the conference on behalf of European Federation of Food Science and Technology I will represent several of our Horizon Europe projects: EU Enough Project, GIANT LEAPS project, TITAN Project EU and CATALYSE Project EU. 🚦 Tuesday morning at 11.35h I will pitch the TITAN project. And Tuesday afternoon at 14.10h I will give an oral presentation entitled: 'Food supply chains need to be transparent to protect public health and promote sustainability – The case of FOP Labelling'. In line with the title of the conference I will deliver a provocative speech focussed on three aspects: ➡ the need to share food facts openly, ➡ the need to categorise the data with a science-based method, ➡ selection of the best tool to help consumers to make informed food choices. #transparency #traceability #sustainability #FOPL #consumers