Ms. Maria José Valverde, who is a technical consultant of S3P Agri-food Traceability & Big Data opened briefly the event and introduced Ms. Elvira Domingo, manager of EIT Food Regional Innovation Scheme (RIS) Programme.
Ms. Domingo first introduced the EIT Innovation Community, which currently has eight divisions:
- EIT Climate-KIC
- EIT Digital
- EIT Food
- EIT Health
- EIT InnoEnergy
- EIT Manufacturing
- EIT RawMaterials
- EIT Urban Mobility
Her presentation also showed the social, environmental and entrepreneurial challenges facing the food industry. After it she presented the EIT Food’s:
- mission – to create a sustainable and future-proof food system by creating an inclusive and innovative community where the consumer is actively involved,
- role – to bring all players together and guide and accelerate the innovation process that will transform the food system,
- strength – comes from partners, which represent over 90 of Europe’s leading agri-food companies, research institutes and universities.
The programme focuses on six areas, such as sustainable agriculture or aquaculture, digital transformation of traceability, the use of alternative proteins, targeted nutrition and a circular food system. In addition, EIT Food considers education, innovation, public engagement and entrepreneurship to be important. In 2021, they also want to actively develop and represent these directions in the agri-food industry. In the field of education, they want talented people to develop and encourage the transformation of the food system. In addition to education, it is considered important to encourage cooperation across the food system in order to develop innovative technologies, products and services, and to support innovative entrepreneurs and start-up companies throughout Europe.
The Regions 4Food project is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund and Hungary.
