We believe that the solution to transition agricultural practices by farmers lies in cross value chain collaboration, where all partners work together in facilitating the farmer, put in the central, to transition towards regenerative practices. This is not an agricultural transition but more a value chain transition that needs a collaborative approach to come to scale.
The aim of the pan-European Smart Specialisation Strategy Food (S3Food) Partnership is to set-up a platform and supportive business ecosystem between agri-food clusters and clusters representing technology and/or digital solution providers, relevant RTOs and other stakeholders. Foodvalley NL takes part in the S3Food partnership to accelerate the digital transition. In combination with the research organisation One Planet, research & development and business communities are connected.
Foodvalley's Bioeconomy Ventures program connects startups and established businesses in the bioeconomy sector to resources that help accelerate their growth and success, including access to funding, industry networks, expertise, and facilities, in order to drive the development of a sustainable bio-based economy. In addition, Foodvalley organises two Expand & Explore Workshops. These are workshops where a number of startups from Foodvalley’s ecosystem are given the opportunity to pitch their innovation in front of investors.
This initiative seeks to improve the economic viability of locally produced crops in the Netherlands by bringing together protein crop farmers, creating critical mass and increasing valuation by the end users. This approach helps to organise a better value chain position for the farmers by, for instance, exploring the cooperative selling of their product as well as equipment sharing. This would result in a first national cooperation of growers of leguminous crops moving from niche to critical mass.
Insects are a good source of protein and champion the valorisation of waste streams that are otherwise difficult to valorise. At the same time, insects as a raw material are not yet economically viable to use and legislation currently often still prohibits their use for human consumption. Therefore, Foodvalley is working to set up a successful showcase that is possible within legal boundaries.
Foodvalley is working with Upcycling Community partners and other stakeholders on a position paper on Upcycled Food and Ingredients. The position paper will seek alignment between various stakeholders on the definition of upcycled food and ingredients, their attributed values, and how these should be communicated in the industry -- all the way up to the consumer.
