CO-FRESH

CO-FRESH CONCEPT

The main objective of CO-FRESH is to (re)design and pilot innovative systemic approaches to agri-food value chains to scale up this innovation at the European level. These innovative approaches will improve the economic, social and environmental performance/efficiency of these value chains, through smart integration of technological, social, organisational, managerial and institutional innovations; all of which serve to make them more sustainable.

In short, the CO-FRESH repertoire of innovation strategies will include the pathways for effectively integrating technological solutions with social, organisational and institutional adjustments.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

• Map and assess existing innovative agri-food value chains across Europe.
• Co-create agri-food value chains selected as pilot cases in the CO-FRESH consortium with the aim of (re)designing integrated, sustainable and competitive value chains.
• Demonstrate and monitor the application of innovations with new technological and non-technological solutions.
• Evaluate the environmental, economic and social impact of the implemented innovations, including consumer acceptance in cases where the innovation outcomes are related to final consumer products.
• Establish appropriate measures and strategies to maximise the results and impact of the project.
• Effectively communicate and disseminate knowledge and results of CO-FRESH
• Ensure a broad impact across Europe through effective collaboration with key actors in agri-food chains and networking with other RUR 06 and RUR 07 projects.

WHY CO-FRESH?

European food systems face systemic challenges that encompass unsatisfactory health, nutrition and environmental outcomes, as well as negative socio-economic impacts. At the same time, the agri-food sector faces challenges driven by climate change, rapid technological innovation and new demands for access to information.

To address these challenges in an integrated manner, a systemic approach is indispensable, coupled with the introduction of technological innovations, with the aim of redesigning more globally competitive and sustainable value chains.

The main objective of CO-FRESH is to provide techniques, tools and knowledge on how to make agri-food fruit and vegetable value chains more environmentally sustainable and socio-economically balanced by mapping and assessing current best practices and collaboratively (re)designing and demonstrating advanced and integrated technological, social, managerial, institutional and organisational innovations in representative European case studies.

The project will run from 2020-2024. Innogestiona Ambiental is the entity leading the impact assessment task of the project. In addition to assisting the coordinating entity (CNTA) in monitoring the impact of the project and the intellectual property rights associated with the different activities of the project. Innogestiona is part of the Project Office (PO) and the Innovation Committee (iCom).