SOSFood - Sustainability Optimization for Secure Food Systems
Objectives
To tackle the current environmental challenges, the new SOSFood (Sustainability Optimization for Secure Food Systems) project funded under Horizon Europe programme will accelerate the green transition of EU food systems by using the great potential of artificial intelligence technologies.
The main objective in the span of 48 months is to support all stakeholders of the food chain to make well-informed decisions with a holistic approach, enabling more productive, inclusive, sustainable, and resilient food systems.
Despite various efforts to address such aspects as reducing waste, promoting eco-friendly farming and local food products, improving unhealthy diets in the population, optimizing manufacturing and distribution, etc., none have fully grasped the global scale of the issue. Additionally, existing strategies have often been too complex or inaccessible to make significant impacts.
SOSFood seeks to change the situation by bringing together a diverse consortium of experts from the private and public sectors, academia, research, and industries, including consumers and producers. They will collaborate aiming to establish a multi-actor network that promotes transparency and data sharing; map the food system with a multidimensional strategy; co-design tailored decision-making tools that empower every stakeholder in the food chain.
To ensure the effectiveness and viability of the project, the project will undergo validation in three case studies at regional, metropolis, and national levels in Galicia, Athens, and Lithuania, respectively.
SOSFood officially kicked-off on March 1st, 2024, in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, bringing together all 17 partners from across Europe. Besides the event hosting country, the Netherlands, Italy, Portugal, Lithuania, Greece, France, and Belgium are in the project’s multidisciplinary consortium. For further information about the project, please visit our website.
The added value of data will be a key factor in the new international research project funded by the 'Horizon Europe' program, with which the EU strengthens its strategy to address the crisis in the agri-food sector with with new analysis methods and algorithms developed by the project. According to estimates from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, "by 2050, it will be necessary to produce 60% more food to feed a global population of 9.3 billion people" […]. Achieving this with traditional agriculture would impose a heavy burden on our natural resources. Thus, we have no choice but to embark on a more ecological revolution" […].
Softeam Role in the project:
Softeam will manage the project DataLake in particular for our three case studies in three different European scenarios: Galicia (representing a regional scope); Athens (a metropolitan scope); and Lithuania (a national scope),
Key facts and figures
Instrument
Horizon Europe
EC Funding
€ 3 952 196.25
Duration
4 years
Consortium
17 partners from 8 countries
Web Site: sosfood-project.eu
Start Date: 1st January 2024
End Date: 31st December 2027