Sustainable Food Systems: R&I for Resilience and Security

Environmental challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, and geopolitical disruptions such as the war in Ukraine are increasing pressure on global food systems. The EU is responding with research and innovation to build sustainable, resilient, and fair food systems aligned with the European Green Deal. Key focus areas include agro-ecological practices, carbon farming, precision farming, food loss reduction, and sustainable biogas. Horizon Europe allocates €9 billion to food and environmental research, supporting flagship projects like RUSTICA (biofertilisers), DiverIMPACTS (crop diversification), IoF2020 (smart irrigation), REFRESH (food waste reduction), InnovAfrica (improving crop access in sub-Saharan Africa), and WE4F (scaling climate-smart innovations). These initiatives advance sustainability, efficiency, and food security across Europe and beyond.