Deadline: 06-Oct-21
The European Commission (EC) is pleased to launch the Research & innovation roadmap for blockchain technologies in the agri-food sector.
The potential of blockchain technologies across sectors and fields of application has been widely acknowledged and is driven in private and public domains.
Also in the area of agri-food, blockchain technologies have raised interest, but are not yet applied in mainstream mode.
On the one hand, the area of agri-food induces special challenges to the application of blockchain technologies, such as the nature of products; on the other hand, the sector is predestinated for tracking technologies.
As pointed out in the European Commission`s Green Deal, and the farm to fork strategy in particular, transparency and sustainability efforts in the food supply chain are to be increased and power between actors to be balanced.
Blockchain technologies can not only support traceability ambitions, but also support the implementation of organic or other (sustainability-related) labelling schemes as well as sustainable finance and climate mitigation and/or biodiversity-friendly schemes, and smart contracts, track information for consumers, and reduce administrative burdens for the public administration.
Activities should create an effective framework for action, which is expected to allow pooling resources, coordinating efforts and developing a coherent portfolio of R&I activities in the wider area of blockchain technologies in the field of agri-food following an integrative and de-fragmented systemic approach.
This should include:
- mapping and assessing existing blockchain technologies related European and international R&I activities and promoting their coordination in the field of agri-food; where relevant, initiatives and approaches developed in / for other sectors / fields of application with the potential of being transferred to the agri-food sector might be mapped as well;
- assessing the extent of application of blockchain technologies in the agri-food sector in the EU and globally including the extent to which blockchain technologies meet EU and international regulatory requirements, and draw lessons learnt, benefits and shortcomings/ disadvantages;
- analysing the needs for R&I on blockchain technologies in agri-food as expressed through stakeholder consultation and on-going research projects;
- identifying gaps, priority areas and types of action for intervention;
- proposing methodologies to monitor and review a portfolio of blockchain technologies related R&I activities in the field of agri-food.
Funding Information
The check will normally be done for the coordinator if the requested grant amount is equal to or greater than EUR 500 000, except for:
- public bodies (entities established as a public body under national law, including local, regional or national authorities) or international organisations; and
- cases where the individual requested grant amount is not more than EUR 60 000 (lowvalue grant).
Expected Outcomes
Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following outcomes:
- enhanced transparency and traceability in agri-food supply chains, including “green supply chains” through blockchain technologies;
- contributing to increasing competitiveness and market power of producers, including through smart contracts;
- reduce transaction costs and administrative burdens in the field of agri-food management for public and private actors through blockchain technologies and dedicated tools;
- capacity building in Research & Innovation (Infrastructure), in the agri-food sector and public administration for the development, assessment and application of blockchain technologies in the field of agri-food;
- excellence in research and innovation in blockchain technologies in the agri-food sector in Europe through networking of actors and initiatives.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for funding, applicants must be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
- the Member States of the European Union, including their outermost regions;
- the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) linked to the Member States;
- eligible non-EU countries:
- countries associated to Horizon Europe;
- low- and middle-income countries.
For more information, visit https://bit.ly/3qNioOv