Project Summary

The ECOWASTE4FOOD project brings together seven local and regional authorities from seven countries throughout Europe to promote eco-innovations against food waste. Its ambition is to address the crucial issue of food waste, not only to stop an unacceptable situation which causes the loss of up to 30% of the agricultural production in the EU that keeps not consumed or is consumed in a wrong way regarding health concerns, but also to demonstrate that food waste could be at source of a resource efficient and environmentally friendly economy for the territories. During the four years of the project, the partners commit themselves to share their experiences in this field, in order to jointly draw up action plans to support eco-innovations via European Regional Development Funds (ERDF).

Objectives

The overall objective of the project is to improve the partners' policy instruments for regional development, and mainly their action plans, in their capacities to protect the environment and promote resource efficiency through the support of eco-innovation in the field of food waste.

Activities

Main ECOWASTE4FOOD activities are threefold:

• to promote exchange of experience and sharing of practices among 7 EU regions, through targeted workshops and cross-visits,
• to promote the active participation of regional stakeholders in the interregional learning process of eco-innovation in the food systems through 7 local stakeholders groups,
• to foster the preparation, implementation and monitoring of 7 Action Plans for integrating and upscaling eco-innovative and resource efficient good practices within regional policies.

Results and Project Impact

• Characterization of the types of eco-innovations in the territories concerned
• Mobilization of stakeholders groups in the territories concerned (SMEs, consumers...)
• Capitalization and dissemination of 40 best practices eco-innovations
• Implementation of 7 action plans to support eco-innovations between 2019 and 2020
• Mobilization of the ERDF to support eco-innovations (target of EUR 20 millions)
• Recommendations to improve territorial food governance through post-2020 EU regional policies

See food waste innovations matrix existing in the territories of the project partners [more...]

Coordinator

CIHEAM-IAMM - France