Transforming Europe’s food systems

The EU-funded FutureFoodS project recently launched its first transnational call titled ‘Transforming Food Systems – reshaping food system interactions, fostering food innovations and empowering sustainable food choices’. The joint call is part of the project’s efforts to make Europe’s food production and consumption more resilient and sustainable.

Around the world, hunger and poor nutrition are on the rise, and unsustainable food systems are amplifying climate change, making the need for sustainable solutions even more urgent. This is what led to the formation of the FutureFoodS partnership, whose vision is to create healthy, safe, environmentally friendly and economically viable food systems for Europe. Around the world, hunger and poor nutrition are on the rise, and unsustainable food systems are amplifying climate change, making the need for sustainable solutions even more urgent. This is what led to the formation of the FutureFoodS partnership, whose vision is to create healthy, safe, environmentally friendly and economically viable food systems for Europe.

Through its first call, 36 funding organisations from 19 countries and the European Commission will jointly commit up to EUR 40 million in support of innovative research and development projects working towards this goal. Funding is offered for projects that contribute to one of three topics

• The first topic, ‘The way towards sustainable and resilient food systems’, focuses on new approaches to reshaping food system interactions.
• The second, ‘New foods – Fostering innovations in food design, processing and supply via demand and supply reorientation’, deals with new innovative approaches leading to a greater variety of healthy, sustainable and minimally processed food alternatives.
• The third, ‘Empowering sustainable food choices – Enabling food environments and dietary shifts’, tackles the matter of addressing challenges in the adoption of sustainable food practices across Europe.

The deadline for pre-proposal submissions is 15 January 2025 and for full proposal submissions 9 July 2025. In November 2024, FutureFoodS held a webinar to assist interested applicants. The webinar was attended by 920 participants who were introduced to the FutureFoodS partnership and planned co-funded calls. This was followed by a description of the food system approach, a rundown of the call’s scope and topics, and an overview of the call process. Participants were also shown how to use the submission platform. The project has made the slides available for those unable to attend.

Call for experts

The project is currently also looking for qualified experts to join its International Expert Panel that will be evaluating proposals in its upcoming funding calls. Those interested in participating need to fill in a brief profile and upload their CV online. FutureFoodS (European partnership for a sustainable Future of Food Systems) plans to launch a total of six co-funded calls over 10 years to foster transformative solutions for the global food sector. The project ends in 2034.

More information: CORDIS.