Official launch of the SUAFRI-EPC project
26.03.2014
The 13-14 March 2014, Intelligentsia hosted the kick-off meeting of their new European project SUAFRI-EPC. Besides writing the proposal, Intelligentsia Consultants are coordinators of this promising project.
SUAFRI-EPC aims to bridge the gap between research and innovation in Eastern Partnership Countries (EPC) with a focus on Societal Challenge 2 "Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine and maritime and inland water research and the bioeconomy" of the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 programme. The three year project is being implemented by a consortium of twelve partners from across Europe and the former Soviet Union.
One of the most exciting groups of activities in the project will be the implementation of four pilot technology-transfer projects between Europe and the EPC:
- 'Production methods to optimise economical and environmental sustainability in aquaculture and apiculture sectors' involving the American University of Armenia and Dianova in Denmark;
- 'Development of consumer preferences for fish and seafood' involving the Scientific and Practical Center for Foodstuffs of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus and Dianova in Denmark;
- 'Forest sustainability in respect to pest outbreaks and determination of their self-regulation mechanisms to reduce pest densities' involving Taurida National University of Ukraine and the Mediterranean Institute of Fundamental Physics in Italy;
- 'Wine production optimisation using bio-technologies and zoning techniques' involving the Georgian Technical University and and the Mediterranean Institute of Fundamental Physics in Italy.
Many other activities are planned during the SUAFRI-EPC project to stimulate technology transfer and raise the innovation capacity of the agri-food sector in the EPC, for example: i) preparation of a brochure about EPC agri-food actors; ii) audit six EPC innovation organisations; iii) organise brokerage events and summer-schools; and iv) provide innovation support services.
In the medium term, the SUAFRI-EPC project is expected to facilitate further agri-food R&D collaborations between Europe and the EPC in the current Horizon 2020 programme.
