H2020 SUSFOOD2 Project: Co-founder of ERA-Net on Sustainable Food Production and Consumption (SUSFOOD2)

The objective of SUSFOOD2 is to foster research and innovation in the field of sustainable food systems through enhanced cooperation and coordination between EU Member States and Associated States. In doing so, it will contribute to the EU's overall objective of building the European Research Area (ERA) as well as a new and emerging Food Research Area (FRA). Key challenges will influence future food chains, which require innovative solutions to: meet the growing demand for food by increasing production sustainably (Food Security and Nutrition); optimize resource use while mitigating the impact on the environment; reduce loss and waste; pursue a holistic approach to the food chain, from production to consumption; and enhance the competitiveness of the European agri-food industry. SUSFOOD2 focuses on the sustainability of post-harvest food production, thus covering relevant fields ranging from natural sciences to food engineering and social sciences.

Building on the achievements of its predecessor in FP7, the SUSFOOD2 Cofund will intensify efforts to support and fund excellent food research through a co-funded call of approximately €11.4 million. The consortium also intends to implement additional activities in a three-pronged approach: i) strengthening the network and knowledge transfer among different stakeholders (i.e. through workshops, stakeholder events, etc.); ii) additional funding activities without EU co-funding (preferably linked to other initiatives); iii) implementation and further advancement of the SUSFOOD SRA (developed in FP7).

With the approach described, SUSFOOD2 will contribute to:

• Maximize the impact of transnational cooperation by pooling resources (material and intellectual) and implementing best practices.
• Use synergies and reduce overlap by interacting with related (international) initiatives (especially JPIs HDHL and FACCE).
• Promote the results of the SUSFOOD2 network and funded projects through targeted dissemination, thereby sharing a common vision and raising awareness in the field of food sustainability.