Deadline: 13-Apr-21
The Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA) is pleased to announce a open call for 2021 Agro-Food Value Chain to Increase adherence to the Mediterranean diet as a sustainable pattern including environmental, social and health aspects.
The present topic is in continuity with the one proposed in 2020 Calls. While the previous one, focused on the health aspects of the Mediterranean diet, based on its composition and effects on consumers., this one aims to enhance the adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern.
It focuses on increasing awareness and promotion of this healthy diet and sustainable lifestyle model across the Mediterranean region and in other parts of the world. Activities responding to this topic should analyse existing food systems to identify potential changes needed to encourage the consumption of diverse required foods and the eating behaviours consistent with the Mediterranean diet.
Proposals should codify and valorise the components of the Mediterranean dietary patterns with the final goal to trigger mechanisms to attract more consumers and ensure greater recognition and competitiveness in markets of healthy Mediterranean food. This should be applied to a great variety of unprocessed or minimally processed foods present in the markets (domestic, regional, international), which are consistent with the Mediterranean dietary pattern, to counteract the mass consumption of unhealthy food.
Proposals should propose new food products and related sustainable food habits, consistent with the Mediterranean diet, that meet consumers’ preferences and acceptability along with tailored business models and marketing strategies. Activities could also propose a new process able to trigger the consumption of components of the Mediterranean diet or a mix between product and process.
Funding Information
- PRIMA considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU in the range of EUR 2.8 million and with a duration of 36 months would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately.
Expected Impacts
- Identification of socio-economic and cultural barriers (including the food behavior change) aiming to increase adherence to the Mediterranean diet, through hands-on approaches and experiments.
- Identification and comparative analysis of local determinants of food choices (such as education, socio-economic, hedonistic, market dynamics) of different Mediterranean populations through harmonized and validated methods.
- Foster new business models and marketing of new food products and promoting eating habits consistent with the Mediterranean diet, that meet consumers’ preferences and acceptability.
- Assessment, monitoring and reporting of the adherence to the Mediterranean Diet through the development of methodologies that enable the acquisition of data and appropriate indicators.
- A shift towards consumer-driven new product development that corresponds to the appreciations, preferences, (health) needs and affordability means of consumers in the Mediterranean countries and tourists as ambassadors of the Mediterranean Diet.
- Improved nutrition and health thanks to a better diet.
- Consumers’ empowerment (food information /awareness/ behavioural change).
Eligible Countries
Legal entities established in the following countries and territories are eligible to receive funding through PRIMA grants:
- The PRIMA Participating States: The following Member States (MS) of the European Union (EU): Croatia, Cyprus, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Portugal, Spain, Slovenia. It includes the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT) linked to these Member States.
- The following Third Countries associated to Horizon 2020 (AC): Israel, Tunisia, and Turkey.
- The following Third Countries not associated to Horizon 2020 (TC), having concluded international agreements for scientific and technological cooperation setting out the terms and conditions of their participation in PRIMA: Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Morocco.
Eligibility Criteria
The following entities are eligible to receive funding through PRIMA grants:
- Any legal entity created under Union law
- Any international European interest organization
- For these two types of entities, their place of establishment is not relevant for eligibility for funding.
- Any international organisation (IO) OR any legal entity established in countries not listed above as PS will be eligible for funding provided that at least one of the following conditions is fulfilled:
- participation is deemed to be essential for carrying out the action;
- such funding is provided under a bilateral scientific and technological agreement or any other arrangement between the Union and the international organisation or, for entities established in a country which is not a Participating State, the country in which the legal entity is established.
For more information, visit https://prima-med.org/call-for-proposal/call-section-1-agrofood-2021/