Starting with January 2020, the project “FoodSHIFT2030: Food System Hubs Innovating towards Fast Transition by 2030”, launches an ambitious citizen initiative: the transition to a sustainable food system, which encourages more plant-based nutrition, with beneficial effects for the health of the population and the protection of the environment.

The project is implemented in Brasov by a multi-disciplinary partnership consisting of Highclere Consulting SRL (HCC), the Metropolitan Agency of Brasov (AMB) and Iceberg.

Together they will develop a local Research Laboratory, whose main aim is to integrate traditional and small farm products into an innovative and sustainable food system at local and regional level, and to review the legal framework for procurement for catering units.

“By directly involving all stakeholders, we want to analyze the modalities that encourage the operation of short food value chains, that is, a more direct producer-consumer relationship of food products in Brasov, by shortening both the physical distances and the number of intermediaries. Very important for us is that these modalities also contribute to the revitalization of the local gastronomic heritage. It is known that Brasov has the largest number of traditional certified products and we are wondering what the benefit of this is and thus we want to explore the potential for innovation, by adding value regarding this asset. We are aware that these processes will also require an effort to facilitate, through functional methods of working together, co-creation, which takes into account the rather fragmented local context at this time. ”, said Raluca Barbu, Senior Consultant, HCC.

The “interactive food lab” is a complex process in which producers, HORECA representatives, local authorities, researchers and consumers, as well as other key actors in the food system and local civil society are invited to contribute concretely. This participatory approach will bring different and certainly challenging perspectives.

“We aim to create a framework based on the principles of open innovation, in which we explore new solutions and technologies that can be used on food value chains, by entrepreneurs in the food and agricultural industry of our region,” said Ionuț Țața, CEO Iceberg.

Along with 8 other accelerator laboratories in Europe, the laboratory is coordinated by the HCC, hosted by the Metropolitan Agency of Brasov and supported by Iceberg. The results of these laboratories from the first research stages will be taken over by 27 other European cities or regions, in order to adapt the collected information to future solutions.

“The benefits of such an approach, from a social, food and environmental perspective, make us directly responsible for the implementation of this project for our region. The strategies and recommendations developed will directly involve the citizens, and will directly contribute to the development of local communities. We are confident that we will be able to support the transition to this new food system as well as adapting to the changes it will bring directly in the dynamics of demand and supply in the market ”, added Cătălin Frangulea, representative of the Metropolitan Agency of Brasov.

The Horizon 2020 project, innovation and action, “FoodSHIFT2030: Food System Hubs Innovating towards Fast Transition by 2030”, has 31 partners, is coordinated by the University of Copenhagen – Research Department and Food Security is financed with 7.5 million euros. More information about the project can be found here: http://foodshift2030.eu/.