Why focus on short food supply chains?

The European Commission aspires to foster new short food supply chains all over Europe [1]. Short Food Value Chains aim to make the steps between the farmer and consumer as short as possible. Reconnecting producers and consumers will create business opportunities for food producers and fulfil the needs of the consumer [2].

One way to create valuable short food supply opportunities is via mobile container units. The innovative containers, created within the FOX project, will apply mild processing techniques for fruits and vegetables at the farm. The short food chain approach of mobile, food processing techniques attribute to sustainable agriculture. Simultaneously, the availability of fruit and vegetable products attribute to the health of the locals [2].

Four Food Circle regions

Over the next four years, the FOX project will work towards bringing producers and consumers closer together. FOX aims to offer new business opportunities in the following regional agricultural hubs, called Food Circles:

  • Lake Constance region in Germany
  • Central Bohemian Region in the Czech Republic & Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship region in Poland
  • Valencia, Spain and Alpes Côte d’Azur, France
  • Noord-Brabant, the Netherlands

To exchange the project’s know-hows FOX already explored the possibilities of involving other European regions as associated partner regions in Romania, Greece, Slovenia, Estonia, and Croatia.

Conscious consumers and fairness for farmers

More and more European consumers prefer qualitative, locally produced food products [1]. Consumers and farmers alike also want a sustainable food supply chain [3]. All over Europe, motivated farmers want to grow closer to the consumer by finding sustainable ways to offer a variety of qualitative foods to the consumer.

Farmers need policy support

A wide range of short food supply chains occurs in Europe. Nonetheless, farmers still encounter organisational, technical and financial barriers such as:

  • The low share of retail value of food
  • Distance with the consumer
  • Lack of opportunities to scale up

Together with EU policymakers, these barriers should be addressed [4]. The European Commission is willing to improve the environment for farmers, to make short food supply chains more ethical and coherent for local farmers [3].

With the FOX project, the European Commission allows food producers to innovate and work on solutions to become a stronger player in the local consumer trend [1]. Moreover, the short food supply chain supports regional jobs and pushes towards more sustainable agriculture while lowering the environmental footprint [1].

Overall, the FOX approach stands strong in offering entrepreneurs new business opportunities and fostering new short food supply chain in rural and urban areas.

References

[1] Staes, B. & Heubuch, M. (2018). Europe must get serious about short food supply chains. Available on: https://www.euractiv.com/section/agriculture-food/opinion/europe-must-get-serious-about-short-food-supply-chains/

[2] Santini, F., Gomez y Paloma, S. et al. (2013). Short Food Supply Chains and Local Food Systems in the EU. A State of Play of their Socio-Economic Characteristics. Available on: https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/publication/eur-scientific-and-technical-research-reports/short-food-supply-chains-and-local-food-systems-eu-state-play-their-socio-economic

[3] EURACTIV (2018). CAP and the food supply chain: A fair deal for farmers and consumers. Available on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ky6rAiWaCa0

[4] EIP-AGRI network (2019). EIP-AGRI Brochure Innovation in Short Food Supply Chain management. Available on: https://ec.europa.eu/eip/agriculture/sites/agri-eip/files/eip-agri_factsheet_short_food_supply_chain_management_2015_en.pdf