Agrobiodiversity is a vital subset of biodiversity and is the result of the interaction between the environment, genetic resources and management systems used by culturally diverse people. It is a crucial prerequisite for ecologically and economically sustainable agricultural systems and is an important tool for ecological intensification. The aim of CROPDIVA is to reinforce agrobiodiversity on different levels and along distinct geographic and socio-economic areas. The activities of CROPDIVA are clustered around five connected research work packages and three pillars, each with a set of specific objectives: i) promotion of six key underutilised arable crops: oats, hull-less barley, triticale, buckwheat, faba bean and lupin; ii) creation of value chains for selected underutilised crops ; and iii) study of the socio-economic impact of project results. The concept of CROPDIVA is an innovative challenge driven approach based on the promotion of underutilised crops in sustainable cropping systems and new regional value chains. Project activities will focus on the following major challenges: improved resilience of cropping systems, alignment of the economic and social needs of farmers with ecological goals as well as marketing of new food/non-food products meeting consumer demands. The results gathered in CROPDIVA will not be descriptive, but will be used for innovative solutions along the entire food and non-food chain to enable biodiversity management on all levels, including diversifying the use of genetic resources, crop production systems, new food/non-food products, market opportunities while satisfying producers and investigated consumer requirements.

This proposal is related to the work programme topic Twinning, H2020-TWINN-2015. The specific challenge of the will be achieved by significant strengthening of the research capacities of the Institute for Food Technology, Serbia (FINS) in the area of FOOD TECHNOLOGY in close collaboration with internationally-leading research institutions: Teagasc - Agriculture and Food Development Authority, Ireland (TEAGASC) and University of Bologna, Italy (UNIBO). Transfer of knowledge will be achieved through short-term trainings, schools, thematic workshops, study visits, joint publications and various outreach activities and will consequently allow FINS to carry out efficient and high quality research that will be transferable to industry. S&T capacity of the linked institutions will be enhanced, new ideas and scientific challenges offered and further activities and joint applications for internationally funded projects enabled. The project partners are chosen on the basis of previous cooperation and reciprocal knowledge of respective expertise. The Work Plan summarized as “The Innovative Food Product Development Cycle” consists of six Work Packages, WPs. WP 1, WP 2 and WP 3 are designed to strengthen the scientific excellence and innovation capacity of FINS . The creation of preconditions for the implementation of innovative food solutions in industrial scales and the commercialization of research results will be performed by activities within WP 4. WP 5 is devoted to dissemination and networking activities and exploitation of results in order to establish a communication bridges between research community and industry and strategic and durable cooperation with partner institutions. WP 6 is designed to enable smooth project execution according to standard procedures and a straightforward management structure. This proposal offers the idea of generating new knowledge and turning it into new products and services as a direct response to wider economic and social challenges.

The overall vision of IMPRESS is to develop series of innovative actions to address key sustainability challenges associated with marine and freshwater sector from sea to shelf. These challenges include (i) valorisation of processing waste streams & (ii) utilisation and promotion of underutilised low trophic species (LTS). IMPRESS will tackle these broad challenges by meeting the following six specific objectives that collectively deliver co-benefits for environment, health, society and the blue economy. IMPRESS will promote and influence consumer perceptions towards LTS by highlighting their positive nutrition, health, environmental footprints and enhance professional skills and competences. IMPRESS will develop innovative approaches to valorise side streams and processing waste for creation of eco-friendly zero waste value chains; develop and deliver diverse range of products to address nutrition, health, wellness and consumer choices; enabling and evaluating innovative processing approaches, including beyond state-of-the-art technologies across the value chain, creating novel value for food, feed, ingredients, biopolymers and bioactives production. Finally, co-design novel, circular value propositions to accelerate the operationalisation of transition pathways ahead of future challenges, e.g. Farm to Fork 2030 goals; empower stakeholders to transition from current practices to a more innovative production and processing of LTS, using dynamic tools/demonstrations and multi-actor knowledge exchange. The key innovative actions of IMPRESS includes (i) promotion and introduction of new LTS from fresh and marine waters; (ii) develop robust valorisation routes for side streams and waste; (iii) employ energy-efficient processing and fractionation techniques; (iv) deliver new products, value chains and services. Finally IMPRESS will demonstrate circular and sustainably interlinked value chains to maximize the value creation with a zero-waste approach.