Industrial Ecosystems: Agri-food
Summary of the European Alliance Against Coronavirus Daily Webinar on 28 September 2020
This webinar on the Agri-food ecosystem took place in the frame of the hybrid Joint BG-RO Cluster Event “Bioeconomy as Driver for Green, Sustainable and Inclusive Growth – Clusters and Their Role as Key Players” in Bulgaria from 28/09 – 29/09. Blaga Valentinova Popova, DG GROW, introduced the agri-food ecosystem, which includes actors across the value chains – from producers to packaging and logistics to retailers, consumers, and end-of-life productivity. Agri-food has close links to the tourism, retail, and digital ecosystems. Especially the HORECA sector has an influence on agri-food, which is why they need to be thought together to find the best solutions for a green recovery.
Felix Arion, AgroTransilvania Cluster, underlined the need to create new paths and invest in innovation, technology transfer and sustainable development. AgroTransilvania Cluster is in constant dialogue with the regional administrations for their smart specialisation strategies. They work on different objectives outlined in the European roadmap to recovery, and highlight the need for consumer awareness and education, facilities for agri-food producers to use technology and digitalise the farms, certifications, and fiscal facilities for cooperatives/associations.
Zoritza Kiresiewa, Ecologic Institute, presented the H2020 BE-Rural project on circular economy. BE-Rural will explore the potential of regional and local bio-based economies and support the development of bioeconomy strategies, roadmaps and business models. In this project, clusters work on the formation of networks among various actors along the value chains, collaboration between feedstock owners and bio-based industries, and collaboration with public authorities. Sustainable bioeconomy could contribute to objectives outlines in Green Deal, e.g. achieve climate neutral and circular economy, healthy and environmentally friendly food systems, and fostering innovation.
A recording of the session is available here.
Find information and recordings of previous meetings on the Role of Clusters in Accelerating the European Recovery (since September 2020) here. For European Alliance Against Coronavirus webinar summaries of March - July 2020, please follow this link.
Finally, please find information on the upcoming agenda here.
