Foodvalley, EIT Food and Food Innovation Hub Europe launch regenerative farming initiative
Press release
The project is the first landscape initiative under the Regenerative Innovation Portfolio, a collaboration within the Food Innovation Hub Europe, established by the World Economic Forum, funded by EIT Food, and executed by EIT Food and Foodvalley NL. It aims to enhance soil quality, biodiversity, carbon footprint, water use, and socio-economic indicators. With a €3M investment over three years, the project seeks to create a replicable model across Europe. The Navarra 360º project will support 80 farmers in northern Spain in adopting regenerative agriculture practices.
EIT Food, the world’s largest innovation community, has launched Navarra 360º, the first landscape project of the Regenerative Innovation Portfolio. The project will invest €3 million over three years to support 80 farmers in Navarre, northern Spain, to implement regenerative agriculture in their crop rotation systems. EIT Food is supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union.
Navarra 360º will combine financial support with training in technical aspects of regenerative practices. The project will take a holistic approach, studying more than 60 key indicators including soil quality, biodiversity, water use, carbon footprint, as well as social and economic indicators.
The expected results include a 20% reduction in the use of phytosanitary products and a 40% reduction in mineral fertilisation. The project will conclude in 2026 and will inform the design and delivery of further landscapes in other parts of Europe.
The launch of the project was attended by José María Aierdi, Regional Minister for Rural Development and the Environment of the Government of Navarre, who described the project as “pioneering in Europe” and emphasised “its contribution to making green agriculture profitable”. The Minister pointed out “the interest from industry and cooperatives, as well as the direct involvement of the producers themselves”, as well as valuing the knowledge accumulated in the region “thanks to the INTIA trials”.
EIT Food will act as general coordinator for the project, having trained more than 2,000 farmers in nine European countries since 2020, and delivered more than 30 workshops a year for professionals in the sector.
Foodvalley partners in the Portfolio programme management and has supported bringing partners to the landscape. Foodvalley coordinates and implements a broader community around the Regenerative Innovation portfolio, which unites key players from across the landscape, industry partners, startups, research centers, and universities. The aim is to facilitate the exchange of inter-landscape knowledge to foster innovations and collaboration, thereby accelerating the transition to regenerative agriculture in Europe and sharing experiences from the Navarra 360º landscape.
The Food Innovations Hub (FIH) strengthens national and regional innovation ecosystems by convening stakeholders, mobilizing partners, and facilitating knowledge exchange at both regional and global levels. Many inspiring food innovation initiatives are learning valuable lessons. By creating connections between these initiatives and ensuring the sharing of best practices, FIH aims to contribute to a strong movement towards sustainable future food systems.
“When this project came about over a year ago, it was essential to convince the most pioneering companies in this field to work together, because together we can make more progress than individually.
“We know of no other similar initiative in Europe with public-private collaboration. We are grateful to Danone, Cargill and Intermalta, as well as the Government of Navarre, for their involvement in bringing this to life.”
“Farmers are the basis of the project: their involvement is the key to everything. Each activity has been designed with them, with a participative process, to help them in their transition, and is aligned with the values we want to transmit.”
“This first landscape is the beginning of many more landscapes to be developed across Europe. These landscape partners collaborate and demonstrate viable pathways in various European ecological and economical settings, showing how we can scale regenerative practices and support farmers in their transition, with the involvement of all value chain parties and beyond. The formation of the consortium and the development of the regional programme in the Navarre have already been a valuable learning experience in social innovation.”
“It is exciting to see this cross-value chain collaboration on regenerative agriculture becoming a reality. Creating sustainable future food systems requires multiple innovations, from new ways of farming to new ways of financing or processing. At the basis of these innovations are pioneers with the vision and courage to venture into the unknown and create new sustainable solutions. At the Food Innovation Hub Europe, we are proud to support and learn from initiatives like Navarra 360º.”
The project will involve a broad range of actors across the food system, including Danone Ecosystem, Cargill, Danone and Intermalta, which are providing financial support and liaising with the entire value chain, as well as service providers Navarra Institute of Food Technologies and Infrastructures (INTIA), Agropec, and Lursare Ekosistemas, which are contributing training, advice and supporting the impact measurement of the project. The Government of Navarra and Caja Rural de Navarra are offering expert support, and Harivenasa, independent farmers, AN Group and others from the agricultural sector are involved.
About the Regenerative Innovation Portfolio
The Regenerative Innovation Portfolio is an ecosystem collaboration established as a Food Innovation Hub Europe initiative of the World Economic Forum, financed by EIT Food and delivered by EIT Food and Foodvalley NL. It brings together a wide array of actors within Europe to action the critical systemic shifts we need to transition our food system to be more sustainable and fair while producing healthier food for the future.
Interested to contribute?
If you would like to be part of the transition by co-financing a landscape programme with us, please fill in the Expression of Interest on the website of our partner EIT Food.
Do you want to be part of our Regenerative Agriculture Community? Join a vibrant network of support that shares knowledge, builds innovations, creates ideas, and enables viable businesses to engage in a renewed economic, social and ecologically sustainable agriculture system.
