Our modern food system has evolved significantly over the last decades resulting in more efficient farming practices. At the same time, the current climate and ecological crises highlight the need to make our agri-food system more sustainable and to lower its impact on land and resources. Moreover, the ongoing food crisis, further driven by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and disruptions to supply chains, demonstrates that more needs to be done to increase food resilience in Europe and empower the EU to fight famine and malnutrition globally.
Data and digital solutions are already used to improve the food system from production to consumption and arguably carry great potential to transform the food system. For example, satellite imagery, sensors, AI, the Internet of Things (IoT), drones and robots can support precision farming and ensure agricultural practices comply with environmental rules. At the same time, apps and platforms can be used to improve consumption patterns. However, despite these promises, the EU still needs to do more to use data and digitally enabled solutions to make our agri-food system more sustainable and resilient.
The ‘Digitalisation for sustainable and resilient agri-food system’ project considers the state of play, prospects, and challenges of using data and digital solutions to help make the European food system more sustainable and resilient. It will discuss how the EU’s policy and financial framework can support these efforts. The project will last 13 months and will include two workshops, a Discussion Paper, and a Policy Dialogue to present the project’s main findings. The project is implemented by the European Policy Centre and supported by CropLife. The Steering Committee of relevant stakeholders and experts guides the project’s activities.