Provide producers with fit-for-purpose knowledge to develop new sustainable food chain models improving their revenue and enhancing consumers’ satisfaction Erasmus Project

Project Title

Provide producers with fit-for-purpose knowledge to develop new sustainable food chain models improving their revenue and enhancing consumers’ satisfaction

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for adult education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Agriculture, forestry and fisheries; Rural development and urbanisation

Project Summary

Traditional models of agriculture are facing ruthless competition from modern industrial agriculture. The price war and the many intermediaries along the food supply chains are squeezing the margins of small producers and have a strong impact on the environment. This, together with a growing mistrust of European citizens for processed food products and the development of particular concern for the environment, is leading more and more consumers to turn to local producers to supply themselves with fresh, quality food products. These alternative short food chain models have shown strong promise to increase the revenue and place of the farmers in society, but their uptake remain marginal and often limited to small initiatives. One of the main reason behind this lackluster adoption is that the EU producers already in activity often have limited training in logistics and customer relations but also limited time available for education. They have neither the up-to-date knowledge nor the tools to set up, maintain and develop sustainable short food chain models. The FOOD IMPROV’IDERS project thus aims to bring these tools and knowledge to farmers through fit for purpose educational content and adapted learning methodology.

The objectives of FOOD IMPROV’IDERS are thus to:
1- Investigate innovative food supply chain best practices to rebalance the producers’ position in the food chain and enhance consumers’ satisfaction.
2- Design, develop and test learning materials conducive to the integration of producers in fairer food chain models and improved understanding of consumers’ needs and expectations
3- Develop a tailored e-learning platform and adapted pedagogical content for wider dissemination amongst stakeholders.
4- Promote the content developed to stimulate uptake by producers of innovative food chain models.

To achieve these objectives, the project will adopt a producer-centric approach by keeping in mind the needs and requirements of producers in term of knowledge and training preferences. FOOD IMPROV’IDERS will study innovative food chain models that result in a fairer position for producers and develop fit-for-purpose educational material identifying the determinants and key levers behind successful practices to facilitate the replication of fairer food chain models (WP1). Develop an e-learning platform tailored by the needs and feedback of the target audience and adapt the educational content developed for online self-learning (WP2). The developed pedagogical content on short food chains will be implemented and refined during blended-learning training sessions in the second and third year of the project training 360-480 EU producers (WP3, WP4). The project will ensure a wider uptake of the project results via a strong communication and dissemination strategy (WP5) supported by efficient project management (WP6).

The expected impacts of FOOD IMPROV’IDERS are:
1- Increased knowledge and pedagogical resources available to support producers in the development of innovative foods chains models
2- Involvement of trained producers in SFSC models providing them with higher revenue and enhanced customers’ satisfaction.
3- Wider dissemination and uptake of knowledge in EU farming communities via tailored content on an e-learning platform.
4- Support for the future CAP key pillars.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 382730 Eur

Project Coordinator

ASSOCIATION NATIONALE DES INDUSTRIES ALIMENTAIRES & Country: FR

Project Partners

• ESZTERHAZY KAROLY KATOLIKUS EGYETEM
• FUNDACIÓN JUANA DE VEGA
• EVROPROJECT OOD
• UNIVERZA V LJUBLJANI
• UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI PARMA