EU-funded Smartchain reveals key steps to improve sustainability of short food supply chains

The results of an EU-funded project Smartchain Short Food Supply Chains (SFSC) have the potential to create a shift in the way we grow, distribute and consume food, responding to the needs of farmers, food producers and consumers.

In the past three years, researchers focused on 18 SFSC in 9 different countries to identify key parameters for success as well as their main barriers and needs.

Smartchain’s new booklet “Insights & recommendations to support collaborative Short Food Supply Chains” will spur further initiatives aimed at changing the European food supply chain model.

With a focus on the consumer’s perspective, the main findings in the toolbox include:

• actionable policy & business recommendations for decision-makers in the agri-food sector
• applicable solutions and useful tips for farmers and food producers to improve their business performance while increasing sustainability
• a focus on social innovations for SFSCs and an assessment of their sustainability from an economic, environmental and societal perspective.
• value perception and attitudes of consumers towards SFSCs

A thorough analysis of different types of SFSCs across Europe, such as on-farm direct sales, farmers’ markets, community supported agriculture and cooperatives, and their regulatory frameworks, led to the formulation of policy and business recommendations in the agri-food sector.

Dr. F. Javier Casado Hebrard from the University of Hohenheim, Smartchain project manager, said: “During three years of intense work, Smartchain analysed 18 Short Food Supply Chains from nine different countries to understand the factors that play a role in their success, but also to identify their main needs, barriers and bottlenecks, with a focus on the consumer’s perspective. In the Smartchain booklet, farmers, food producers and other SFSCs practitioners can find applicable solutions, recommendations and useful tips to improve business performance while increasing sustainability. We also developed a series of actionable policy recommendations for decision-makers to support SFSCs and their competitiveness”.

Thanks to the identification of the key parameters that influence sustainable food production and rural development in the different European regions, Smartchain laid out the crucial factors that play an essential role for SFSCs businesses, leading to the identification of the main success factors and also bottlenecks for their development and exploitation. The project team believes these solutions can enhance competitiveness in the form of economic growth, logistic improvements and the creation of new sales channels.

The Smartchain booklet will also be soon available on the Platform in nine languages: Dutch, French, English, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Serbian and Spanish.

Visit www.smartchain-h2020.eu. The Smartchain Innovation Platform is available at https://www.smartchain-platform.eu/

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