Informations et ressources scientifiques
sur le développement des zones arides et semi-arides

Long-term Europe-Africa Research and Innovation Partnership for Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture

Titre : WildFood : Eating the wild : improving the value chain of Mediterranean Wild Food Products (WFP)

Pays/Région : Spain ; Portugal ; Slovenia ; Italy ; Tunisia ; Algeria

Date : Start date 2020-07-01 // End date 2023-06-30

Identifiant : 232-WILDFOOD
Type de projet : Development and innovation oriented (research) project

Contexte
Mediterranean wild and semi-wild food products (WFP) have unique and exclusive properties which are strongly connected to the local economies, rural livelihoods, provision of ecosystem services, biodiversity conservation, traditional knowledge, territorial identity, gastronomy and other cultural values. A significant share of local population at both sides of the Mediterranean harvest and consume WFP, but their full commercial potential is yet to be unlocked. Moreover, WFP sector is mainly formed by small actors, especially the producers, who are disaggregated in rural areas and disconnected among them. Also, the interaction with other sectors is almost inexistent. In most cases their possibilities for innovation are low, thus affecting the quality and safety of the products and leading to unequal final incomes, basically with poor income for the primary stages actors.

Objectif
The overall aim of WildFood is to promote the implementation of joint innovative strategies by involving different actors of the WFP value-chain in the Mediterranean area, focusing on selected products (mushrooms, truffles, pine nuts & Aleppo pine seeds, aromatic plants, acorns and berries) in view of improving their quality and safety controls and sustainability

Présentation
The expected impacts of the WildFood project are to support more sustainable Mediterranean economies and societies by developing and eventually adopting innovative and sustainable solutions for WFP value-chains. This includes seeking the potential socio-economic benefits that include an improved cooperation among actors and increased competitiveness of companies in both shores of the Mediterranean area. WildFood includes pilot projects and demonstration actions aimed at innovative traceability and control systems for quality, safety and sustainability in all value-chain stages which situates the project under the Technology Readiness Levels TRL 6 : technology demonstrated in relevant environment and TRL 7 : system prototype demonstration in operational environment.

Coordinateur : Forest Science and Technology Centre of Catalonia (CTFC)
Partenaires : Prodeca (Promotora dels aliments catalans) Institut national de recherche forestière (INRF) NABATIA (Entreprise d’extraction d’huiles essentielles médicinales) University of Padua Lisbon School of Agriculture (ISA) Cooperativa de Usuários Freixo do Meio, C.R.L. Slovenian Forestry Institute National Research Institute of Rural Engineering, Water and Forests (INRGREF) Agricultural Extension & Training Agency (AVFA)

Financement principal : Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD) (H2020)
Budget : 814 220 EUR

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