Contribution to the European Strategic Policies

The Green Deal launched by the European Commission aims for a fundamental transformation of Europe and a key element in this policy is a fully sustainable food system as outlined in the farm-to-fork strategy. To achieve the goals set out in the Farm-to-Fork strategy, digitalisation of the agri-food value chain and the entire food system is a condition sine qua non. In other words: there is no Green Deal without Digital and as such, the agri–food sector in Europe (like other industry sectors) is facing a Twin Transition challenge: becoming more green and sustainable by fully embracing digitalisation.

The overall goal of “enHancing dIgital and Green growtH in the Food processing industry via Interregional innoVation invEstments” (HIGHFIVE) is to foster, enable and facilitate SME targeted and interregional investment actions to implement or bring to the market innovative digital solutions to concrete challenges of the food processing companies and thus contributing to the Farm-to-Fork strategy. Therefore, HIGHFIVE builds upon and contributes to the strategy and implementation roadmap of the S3 partnership SS4AF, with all cluster partners of the HIGHFIVE project being SS4AF members.

Overview of the challenges

Thematic priority 1: Sensors to monitor real time critical control parameters

To ensure real time monitoring of the quality of the food products during processing, it is of crucial importance that not only the machine parameters but also the characteristic of the products itself can be measured.

Thematic priority 2: Sensor integration and implementation

The companies in the food processing industry do not need sensor systems, they need integrated solutions. This means that technology providers and digital solution providers will have to work together to understand and grasp the needs of the agri-food companies and develop smart systems accordingly.

The HIGHFIVE vision

The HIGHFIVE project is designed to support agri-food companies to thrive in the context of global value chains, high international competitivity, market and innovation barriers, and the need for a quick digital and green transition. The overall goal is to foster, enable and facilitate SME targeted and interregional investment actions to implement or bring to the market innovative digital solutions to concrete challenges of the food processing companies, strengthening the European agri-food value chain and contributing to a more digital, sustainable and resilient agri-food sector in Europe.

1st open call for innovation projects to be launched June 15th!

European food processors are gearing up for a digital future with support from the EU HIGHFIVE project, which will be launching it's funding scheme on June 15th . Successful small and medium-sized…

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