EXCEL4MED

The Smart Agro Hub competence center is currently involved in 3 large EU funded projects, with all of them aiming to address the modern needs of the European agrifood sector. One of them is the Horizon Europe project EXCEL4MED.

Let’s have a look at it together!

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The project: EXCEL4MED will create an Excellence Hub that focuses on the Mediterranean fruit supply chains. The corresponding proposal was submitted under the topic Excellence Hubs (HORIZON-WIDERA-2022-ACCESS-04-01) involving 14 organisations from Greece, Malta and France. The project is coordinated by the National Kapodistrian University of Athens and professor Vasilis Valdramidis.

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The need we address: The Mediterranean Agrifood Supply Chains (AFSC) dealing with small-scale farmers producing perishable items have suffered the most because of climate change and lack of technological innovations, linkages between sciences and business, knowledge transfer, and business models. AFSC experienced all the effects of the repercussions caused by the operational, logistical, financial and socio-economic impacts, threatening their enterprises and the global food resilience. Most agricultural activities depend on climate change, and therefore, activities need to follow a fine-tuned schedule with flexibility/adaptability so that immediate actions can be performed when needed. Since all processes and stages in a supply chain are strongly connected, a slight delay or glitch can trigger a butterfly effect resulting in yield and output losses.

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Our solution: The EXCEL4MED Excellence Hub will facilitate the production of nutritious food products and the valorization of food industrial side-streams, strengthening the Mediterranean food added-value chains and innovation ecosystems. EXCEL4MED will be interconnected with umbrella company organizations, research institutions, governmental bodies and societal actors that will be mutually reinforcing each other in a Mediterranean context and together will raise the level of innovation excellence in their regional fabric.

The consortium: 6 organisations from Greece [NKUA, HELLENIC AGRICULTURAL ORGANISATION DIMITRA (ELGO), Federation of Hellenic Food Industries (SEVT), Region of Attica (PATT), Consumers’ Association “The Quality of Life” (EKPIZO), Smart Agro Hub S.A. (SAH) and Aspis Hellenic Juice Industries (ASPIS)], 6 organisations from Malta [University of Malta (UM), Malta Enterprise (ME), Mgarr Farming Co Ltd. (MGARR), Malta Food Agency (MFA), The Malta Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise Association (TMC) and Cooperatives Malta (KOP)], as well as the International Center for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM) from France will work together aiming to generate new opportunities for enhanced collaboration, adaptation and inclusiveness in the Mediterranean fruit value chain.

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SAH’s role: Besides its technical contribution, Smart Agro Hub’s role in the project is to lead and organise the EXCEL4MED dissemination, exploitation and communication activities. Our goal is to transfer the project knowledge and results to stakeholders not only in the Mediterranean, but to the whole European agrifood sector. Together we’ll raise awareness on the importance of green technologies in food processing and on the positive financial and environmental impact of creating Excellence Hubs and Place based innovation ecosystems in widening countries.

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Are you an expert in green food processing?

Do you want to help the promotion of a healthy Mediterranean lifestyle?

Follow the EXCEL4MED and be part of our community!

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If you want to collaborate with Smart Agro Hub in upcoming Horizon Europe projects, feel free to send a direct message to our Grant Application Expert, Thanos Karvounis, and explore opportunities for new synergies.