EIT Food launches open Proof of Concepts Call to test public engagement projects for societal impact
Up to €400,000 is available for innovative public engagement project ideas in the agrifood sector.
The funding provided by EIT Food has enabled us to work with people who have specific expertise on areas we want to develop, and to dedicate funding to outreach to our local community. This means we are able to learn more about the real needs of the sector on Ibiza – an island that has lost over 50% of its agricultural land in the last 20 years.
Being able to present the project to the agrifood sector on the island is permitting us to gain feedback on where the project is succeeding and failing. It has enabled us to monitor broader island-wide social changes, including the growing number of residents working in the food economy and what infrastructure is needed on the island to increase food sovereignty while facilitating a transition to regenerative agriculture.
We are excited to be opening up a new round of applications to welcome innovative public engagement proposals that have the potential to transform the food system.
Engaging with consumers is critical to delivering an inclusive agrifood sector that produces healthy, sustainable food and empowers all people to participate and benefit. We look forward to supporting a new cohort of organisations to test and validate ideas that enhance consumer trust and involvement in our future food system.
Successful applicants will use the Proof of Concepts phase to build a scaleup model for a multi-year project. If the project is proven to have potential for societal impact during the testing phase, the activity leader is expected to submit a full proposal for continuation.
EIT Food has allowed us to set up a unique learning network with the five key retailers in Belgium (Carrefour, Aldi, Lidl, Delhaize & Colruyt) in which, together with civil society actors, universities and the government, we analyse and discuss on how we can jointly accelerate and upscale systemic change in the food system.
Each action taken within the SUCCESS project is scientifically underpinned by scientific research and experiments with citizens and supermarkets – also enabled by EIT Food. The Proof of Concepts has allowed to upscale internally and nationally tested strategies within an international consortium, including in lesser-known regions such as Poland.
Full guidelines on how to apply for the Proof of Concepts Call can be found here.
Notes to editor:
For more information and interview enquiries, please contact communication@eitfood.eu.
About EIT Food
EIT Food is the world’s largest and most dynamic food innovation community. We accelerate innovation to build a future-fit food system that produces healthy and sustainable food for all.
Supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union, we invest in projects, organisations and individuals that share our goals for a healthy and sustainable food system. We unlock innovation potential in businesses and universities and create and scale agrifood startups to bring new technologies and products to market. We equip entrepreneurs and professionals with the skills needed to transform the food system and put consumers at the heart of our work, helping build trust by reconnecting them to the origins of their food.
We are one of nine innovation communities established by the European Institute for Innovation & Technology (EIT), an independent EU body set up in 2008 to drive innovation and entrepreneurship across Europe.
Find out more at www.eitfood.eu or follow us via social media: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram.