Knowledge Transfer Platform
The Knowledge Transfer Platform (KTP) is essential for advancing Alternative Food Networks (AFNs) logistics in Central Europe (CE).
AFNs, either small or medium farmers, often face challenges in logistics due to their innovative nature. With the lack of structured support transforming ideas into practical solutions is hardening.
This platform addresses the need for:
- Effective strategies and actions across countries to support specific logistics operations of AFNs,
- Facilitating the sharing of best practices, and
- Accelerating the adoption of logistics solutions.
The main objectives of KTP are to:
- Provide knowledge on short supply logistics solutions and business models to target audience.
- Display best practice AFNs to facilitate contact with them.
- Stimulate the creation of new knowledge and sharing of new practices for short food supply chains (SFSC).
- Create an interactive platform for users to engage with the content (learning courses, certification, etc.).
The KTP provides:
- Insights into AFNs’ business models, especially those who have found to be effective and efficient.
- Understanding the main characteristics and challenges of Short Food Supply Chains (SFSC) and related logistics solutions.
- Efficient logistics solutions, used by identified AFN best practices, gathered throughout the project.
- Various logistics solutions related to:
- information systems,
- digitalization of logistics processes,
- advanced delivery/ordering principles,
- consolidation of deliveries,
- vehicle routing optimization,
- sharing of logistics facilities,
- common packaging solutions,
- energy use optimization,
- inclusive business models for systematic resilience, and
- various planning, development, and recycling models.
The main benefits of KTP are:
- Enhanced knowledge sharing: Facilitates the transfer of logistics knowledge and best practices among AFNs, researchers, business experts, and policymakers.
- Improved logistics efficiency: Provides logistics solutions, tailored to the needs of AFNs, thus improving their operational efficiency and competitiveness.
- Support for local food producers: Directly supports local food producers and AFNs by providing access to advanced logistics knowledge and practical solutions.
- Sustainability and resilience: Promotes sustainable practices and inclusive business models.
- Transnational collaboration: Encourages transnational collaboration, thereby enabling the exchange of ideas and co-creation of innovative solutions.
Matchmaking Platform
The rise of alternative food networks, defined by local sourcing, sustainable practices, and ethical considerations, has highlighted the need for efficient ways to connect key players within these networks. The Matchmaking Platform, developed in Food4CE project, addresses this need, thus serving as a virtual connector between farmers, consumers, logistics providers, and online platforms in the alternative food sector.
By acting as an intermediary for collaboration and innovation, the Matchmaking Platform brings together farmers, consumers, logistics providers, and online platforms. It fosters the sharing of experiences, facilitates joint projects, and promotes the development of new transport solutions and business models.
The Matchmaking Platform serves as a dynamic hub that connects, supports, and empowers key players in the alternative food market. By enabling direct connections, ensuring seamless logistics, and leveraging online marketplaces, the platform fosters a thriving ecosystem. Through the Matchmaking Platform farmers, consumers, and the broader food industry can collectively contribute to a more sustainable and equitable food system.
Innovation Hubs
In the Food4CE project, 5 regional and 1 transnational hub will be developed. The aim of innovation hubs is to bring together actors from various sectors to advance AFNs in Central Europe. Innovation hubs will enable knowledge transfer between researchers, business experts, food producers, logistics operators and policy makers, thus creating a unique mutual transnational support network for Central European AFNs. With the support of OpenENLoCC innovation hubs will remain active also after the projects ends. Parts of the regional innovation hubs will be integrated into the services of organizations supporting companies (regional development agencies, chambers of crafts, research institutions or regional food hubs, etc.).
Regional innovation hubs will contribute to the overall goal of promoting knowledge transfer, co-creation of innovations, and fostering improved AFNs within Central Europe.
IH Slovenia ORbiTaLA
Leader: RRA Podravje Maribor
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IH Austria
Leader: UAS-BFI
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IH Italy
Leader: ITL
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IH Hungary
Leader: MATE
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IH Poland
Leader: PULS
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The aim of Transnational Innovation Hub is to facilitate knowledge exchange and support among participating countries. Serving as a collaborative platform, it will enable sharing of experiences, best practices, and needs across national borders, enhancing collective knowledge. Additionally, the hub will foster a unique mutual support network, encouraging cooperation among regional hubs from different countries in order to address common challenges, share insights, and improve the overall functionality of AFNs in Central Europe. By promoting integration and collaboration, the hub brings together stakeholders from various nations, fostering a broader perspective and the adoption of innovative solutions on a transnational scale.
TIH Food4CE
Leader: OpenENLoCC
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Food4CE project
Food4CE is a European project, funded by the INTERREG Central Europe Programme, aimed at supporting Alternative Food Networks (AFNs) in their efforts to create sustainable and resilient food supply systems. AFNs play a vital role in promoting short food supply chains and reducing the carbon footprint of food distribution. Despite their importance, AFNs face challenges like limited knowledge in logistics collaboration, digitalization, and efficient delivery systems.
Innovating for a greener future
Food4CE will tackle these challenges through regional and transnational Innovation Hubs, uniting a diverse group of experts, including researchers, business leaders, food producers, logistics and transport operators, and policymakers. Together, they will focus on enhancing AFN logistics efficiency by creating innovative tools and solutions.
Policy support
Beyond innovative tools, such as Matchmaking and Knowledge Transfer Platform, Food4CE will also provide jointly developed regional action plans for each participating region and transnational (CE) policy guidelines for AFN support.
Visit our project website for more information.
Project partners
University of Maribor will implement transnational activities, supporting the involvement of all stakeholders within Food4CE. It will also develop study and research activities, contributing to the development, implementation and monitoring of strategies and pilot actions that will gather knowledge, experience and good practices in the field of logistics operations for AFNs. Additionally, the University of Maribor will directly support RRA Podravje – Maribor in the implementation of the Innovation Hub setup for AFNs logistics knowledge transfer and stakeholders’ matchmaking by providing a platform for knowledge transfer and logistics matchmaking.
Within the Food4CE project, RRA Podravje – Maribor will be responsible for delivering methodology and supporting partners with the establishment of regional Innovation Hubs and co-creation of the transnational Innovation
Hub. Thanks to their extensive knowledge and experience working with local producers, RRAPM will co-create events and activities that will show the real needs and challenges of AFNs creation, which will be later incorporated into regional action plans for the support of AFNs.
ITL will provide the necessary support to the AFN policy-making and strategic planning framework. After an initial phase of mapping, classification and liaising with existing AFNs and other relevant stakeholders in the Emilia-Romagna region, ITL will set up and manage a regional Innovation Hub. The goal of this Innovation Hub will be to enhance the logistics competences of AFNs, foster collaborative innovative solutions, develop joint action plans and policy guidelines to support AFNs.
MATE’s main mission is to support project partners with their knowledge in the field of agriculture by coordinating the identification and classification of existing AFNs in Europe. Additionally, MATE will setup and manage Innovation Hub and develop the pilot action in Hungary. MATE will also contribute to the development of the Knowledge Transfer Platform and the Matchmaking Platform.
Łukasiewicz-PIT has a transversal and transnational role in the Food4CE project, contributing to the analysis of existing AFNs in Europe, their characteristics and needs, as well as their logistical best practices. L-PIT will help to create the path toward the strategic planning framework and co-create a regional innovation hub in Poland and its pilot operations.
Through long-term cooperation with agricultural producers and processors of agricultural products, PULS will identify and assess the level of development of AFNs in Poland. Moreover, PULS will manage the Innovation Hub in Poland and co-create transnational network of innovation hubs.
Within Food4CE, ECONSULT will lead the process of mapping AFN logistics solutions and best practices. Additionally, ECONSULT will support project partners with its knowledge and logistical expertise in several other tasks, including the methodology development for the regional and transnational Innovation Hub, the development of a Knowledge Transfer and Matchmaking Platform and finally the development of regional action plans for AFNs support.
UAS BFI Vienna will lead the development of Knowledge Transfer Platform (KTP). As activity leader, it will work closely with the University of Maribor on development and testing of KTP and its implementation. Additionally, UAS BFI Vienna will set up and manage the Innovation Hub in Vienna in close cooperation with ECONSULT.
Finally, UAS BFI will play a central role in the dentification and analysis of AFNs in Austria, helping to understand their logistical needs and best practices.
OPEN ENLoCC focuses on the dissemination and exploitation of activities. For this reason, it is involved in all activities with the aim of capitalising, communicating, sharing and exploiting the results in the Central European area. It directly follows up all project results to support the partners in communication issues and takes care of developing specific results from a technical point of view thanks to the expertise of the regional competence centres.
Interreg Central Europe programme
Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE is a European Union funding programme that supports transnational cooperation.
Interreg started as a small cross-border initiative in 1990 and has evolved into one of the EU’s key financing instruments for regional development. Between 2021-2027, around 10 billion EUR will be shared among almost 100 Interreg programmes to finance cooperation projects, which contribute to a stronger and better Europe for all.
The Interreg community offers three types of programmes to support European territorial cooperation projects:
- Cross-border programmes for cooperation between at least two countries that share the same border.
- Transnational programmes (like Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE) for cooperation between regions from several European countries.
- Interregional programmes for cooperation across the whole of Europe.
For more information on Interreg Central Europe, visit their website.