To tackle the current environmental challenges, the new SOSFood (Sustainability Optimization for Secure Food Systems) project funded under Horizon Europe programme will accelerate the green transition of EU food systems by using the great potential of artificial intelligence technologies.
The main objective in the span of 48 months is to support all stakeholders of the food chain to make well-informed decisions with a holistic approach, enabling more productive, inclusive, sustainable, and resilient food systems.
Despite various efforts to address such aspects as reducing waste, promoting eco-friendly farming and local food products, improving unhealthy diets in the population, optimizing manufacturing and distribution, etc., none have fully grasped the global scale of the issue. Additionally, existing strategies have often been too complex or inaccessible to make significant impacts.
SOSFood seeks to change the situation by bringing together a diverse consortium of experts from the private and public sectors, academia, research, and industries, including consumers and producers. They will collaborate aiming to establish a multi-actor network that promotes transparency and data sharing; map the food system with a multidimensional strategy; co-design tailored decision-making tools that empower every stakeholder in the food chain.
To ensure the effectiveness and viability of the project, the project will undergo validation in three case studies at regional, metropolis, and national levels in Galicia, Athens, and Lithuania, respectively.
SOSFood officially kicked-off on March 1st, 2024, in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, bringing together all 17 partners from across Europe. Besides the event hosting country, the Netherlands, Italy, Portugal, Lithuania, Greece, France, and Belgium are in the project’s multidisciplinary consortium. For further information about the project, please visit our website.
| Key facts and figures | |
| Instrument | Horizon Europe |
| EC Funding | € 3 952 196.25 |
| Duration | 4 years, 2024-2028 |
| Consortium | 17 partners from 8 countries |