EUREKA PROJECT > 3038 EUROAGRI+ 

Project Description

The EUREKA Umbrella E! 718 EUROAGRI has been active since 1992. It focused primarily on the agricultural sector. Its mission was to try to bridge the gap between technological developments and their industrial application on the one hand; and public acceptance, awareness and concern for the environment on the other hand. The Umbrella was very successful and became one of the leading EUREKA Umbrellas in terms of projects generated (> 90 projects). Due to changes occurring in society and increasing emphasis on environmental and safety aspects in all areas of life as well as new and innovative technology responses to new demands, an adaptation of the previous EUROAGRI mission statement became indispensable. Agriculture, food and feed production are technologically more and more interdependent and EUROAGRI+ therefore covers all three sectors. Technologies like biotechnology, genomics, proteomics, conservation technology and tracking and traceability are newcomers in these sectors, and there is an agreement that such technologies are providing new challenges in these areas. Within the sectors agro, food and feed the 'chain' approach is more incorporated in the business and product development strategy. In such a frame it is inevitable that use is made of different research disciplines (life sciences, material sciences, process technology) and technologies (conservation technology, separation technology, biotechnology, 'omics', Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), measurement and control technology). Because of the complexity of new technologies and their importance for the future of all three sectors, SME's in the agri-food sector as a whole need more guidance in order to generate new ideas for cooperative projects. Consistent with the ongoing efforts of the EUREKA Chair and the E.C., EUROAGRI+ also intends to try to attain a certain level of synergy and complementarity with the Sixth Framework programme in this area by establishing channels of communication with the appropriate specific research programmes. In addition, EUROAGRI+ intends to try to bridge the gap between technological developments and their industrial application on the one hand, and public acceptance, awareness and concern for the environment on the other hand. Links will be established with other initiatives as appropriate, in particular with other relevant EUREKA Umbrellas like EUROENVIRON. Keywords: agriculture, food.

Technological Development Envisaged

a) Promote and facilitate the generation of "market-driven" co-operative Research and Technological Development (RTD) projects in the whole food producing chain involving industry and research institutes across Europe addressing especially, but not exclusively, the emerging new demands resulting from society's request for sustainable agri-food production, health, security and environmental concerns by: b) Networking activities emphasizing the modern agriculture focus as outlined in E.U. and national environmental policies and directives. c) Generate and promote RTD projects under the Integrated Product Policy (IPP) Approach, aiming at the development of intelligent product design / eco design that reduces the environmental impacts of products and services through their entire life cycle. Countries participating in EUROAGRI indicated that the following technology areas are of special importance to them as they expect a substantial innovation coming from these areas with respect to food safety, addressing environmental issues and economic development. - Biotechnology/'genomics/proteomics' technology: These technologies are of great importance to the present 'breeding' strategies of plant, animal and fish raw materials. This technology enables the production of 'safe', 'high quality' and 'healthy' food and feed products and is necessary for developing diagnostics and therapeutics. - Conservation technology: The demand for 'safe high quality' products requires conservation technology capable of maintaining the 'high quality' of the raw materials obtained by new breeding technology. - Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) (Sensor technology/ Tracing & Tracking): This technology is applied during 'processing' and 'tracing and tracking' for assessment of 'high quality', 'food and feed safety' and 'health components' in foodstuffs. Other areas of special interest include: * Reduction of the use of chemicals in agricultural and food production. * Avoiding/limiting emissions of dangerous substances to the environment by farming and food production activities. * Incorporating modern methods for agriculture production, which do not include Genetically-Modified Organisms (GMO). * Reduction of fresh water utilization in agriculture and efficient water management in the whole food production chain. Organisation: The National Project Advisor (NPA) delegated by the participating bodies is expected to have excellent knowledge of the sectors covered by EUROAGRI+. Based on their knowledge and know-how, EUROAGRI+ intends to initiate and carry out activities with the purpose of creating and supporting EUREKA technological development projects within the whole chain of producing food, including developments in animal and plant production (the raw materials of this industry) as well as all related non-food aspects. EUROAGRI+ will strive to attain an intensive exchange of knowledge throughout the whole EUROAGRI+ Network and maintain also contacts with related organizations or centres of know-how to generate EUREKA projects in its area. To ensure an intensive dissemination of information relevant to R&D opportunities for SME's and larger companies, EUROAGRI+ will, in co-operation with the EUREKA Secretariat, create and maintain a dynamic Website with public and restricted areas. As far as applicable and efficient, EUROAGRI+ will furthermore strive to use advanced communication technologies to enhance the effectiveness of face-to-face meetings. There is a wide range of opportunities to counter agricultural problems in the EUREKA countries. Solutions can only be identified and implemented using many different specific approaches. EUROAGRI+ intends to try to promote synergies with national R&D priorities and objectives in the agro-food sectors. As an example, pollution prevention rather than clean-up might be set as a national priority in a number of member countries and might thus receive special attention in the targeted project generation activities within EUREKA, combining for example, activities in EUROAGRI+ and in the EUROENVIRON Umbrella. In order to offer options for both short-term and long-term solutions to pollution problems within many areas (sector wise as well as nationally), there might also be a continuous need for the combined developments of clean-up and production technologies. The participating countries are expected to participate actively in the work of EUROAGRI+ and to give their delegates the necessary support for them to participate actively in the Umbrella.

Contribution to project

The institute is a platform for identifying synergies between the Portuguese industrial agro-food sector and R & D teams working in the same scientific areas. In this context, INOVISA works with 28 companies (SMEs) and 8 national R & D centres in a network of excellence in order to achieve pre-defined objectives. Some of the projects that spawn from this network have scientific merit and high potential success rates that can be improved with international collaboration. Inside a university campus, INOVISA has access to laboratories used in different agro-food scientific projects, which in a very specific work package could be helpful to our project partners.

Expertise

The institute covers the entire Portuguese territory in almost any kind of scientific field related to the agro-food sector. This allows us to have a wide range of companies interested in working with INOVISA when the subject concerns industrial innovation. This asset puts us in a very good position for being a solid contributor to the EUROAGRI+ EUREKA Umbrella. The Portuguese representative, Eng. Joao Santos Silva, was the Portuguese contact point in the EUROAGRI Umbrella during the Portuguese chairmanship of the EUREKA programme (1996/1997), and organised ‘The Fruits and Vegetables EUREKA Brokerage Event’ in Oporto – PORTUGAL.

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- Identification of Danish SMEs (Small and Medium-sized Enterprises) relevant for EUROAGRI. - Communication of EUROAGRI activities to Danish SMEs and other interested parties. - Preparation of proposals for potential new projects. - Compilation and submission of project applications.

Expertise

- Energy and environmental technologies for the agricultural sector. - Applied microbiology. - Chemical analyses. - Food Technology. - Project management. This includes large projects involving SMEs, large companies and RTD (Research and Technological Development) partners.

Contribution to project

National Representative, contribution to the generation of market-based R & D projects in TURKEY in the framework of EUROAGRI+.

Expertise

Plant Nutrition and Physiology, and Functional Foods.

Contribution to project

The organisation represents THE NETHERLANDS in EUROAGRI+. SENTERNOVEM will actively promote the Umbrella, and will encourage participation of Dutch industry and research organisations in projects under the Umbrella. The potential partners can apply for funding from the innovation subsidy fund in THE NETHERLANDS. SENTERNOVEM will promote EUROAGRI+ activities and organise workshops and other events.

Expertise

Extensive network among major food companies and food research institutes in THE NETHERLANDS. Management of the evaluation and selection process of project proposals for subsidies.

Contribution to project

In cooperation with the OCS and the Office of the Chief Scientist of the MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, MATIMOP and the Israeli EUREKA office will chair EUROAGRI+ for the first two years and act as its Secretariat.

Expertise

A public, non-profit making organisation, MATIMOP acts as the interface between Israeli companies and their international counterparts, to promote joint developments of advanced technologies. It administers the bi- and multilateral agreements for the promotion of cooperative industrial R & D on behalf of the Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS) of the MINISTERY OF INDUSTRY AND TRADE (Jerusalem). It also hosts the Israeli EUREKA Office.

Contribution to project

Hungarian National Representative.

Expertise

Frozen and chilled foods, ready meals, ready to eat products, canned products, cereals, bakery and snack products, meat products, food safety, product development, traceability, process development, process validation, sensory and consumer sciences. Management of an industrial R+D institute, managing company, government and EU funded R+D projects (including EUREKA, PHARE, COPERNICUS, 6th FRAMEWORK, UNIDO, National Schemes), training, technology transfer and dissemination projects, developing best practice guides, marketing, and industrial strategy.

Contribution to project

Austrian expert.

Expertise

- Plant biotechnology - General Issues in Agriculture and Forestry

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Expertise

RESEARCH OF HUMAN AND ANIMAL NUTRITION 1. Human nutrition - development of functional food, semi products and components for food supplements, food quality and safety. 2. Animal nutrition - physiological needs of animals; - quality of feed; - adequate supply of nutritious substances. 3. Chemical laboratory develops and performs chemical analyses of raw materials and of finished products and controls the quality of the same. 4. Technology transfer. CONCLUDED PROJECTS: * Trade mark 'Golden Grain'; * How to diminish the concentration of heavy metals in animal waste; * Traceability of cattle and beef in slaughterhouses; * Traceability of beef in meat processing industry and retail trade; * Traceability of pork; * Traceability of eggs; * Bioavailability of Ca and P from the new products of TKI HRASTNIK; * EUREKA E!3114 'Influence of animal diet on fatty acid composition of pork'; * PHARE 2003 'Production of functional foods'; * Slovenian Technology Platform 'Food for Life' establishment in 2006.

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Contribution to project

Expertise

The school (HEVs) belongs to the UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES OF WESTERN SWITZERLAND. In addition to education in 4 engineering domains (mechanics; electrotechnics; chemistry; food & Biotechnology) and in business & administration (business administration & management; computerscience in business), the HEVs is very active in applied R & D in all the above mentioned domains. The HEVs is also present in the board of several national Networks of Excellence, amongst other the Swiss Food Net (www.swissfoodnet.ch) and Swiss BioteCHnet (www.swissbiotechnet.ch).

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Contribution to project

The Head of the EuroAgri Secretariat is: Dr. Nastasia Belc Institute of Food Bioresources 6 Dinu Vintila Street RO - 021 102 Bucharest2 Tel: +40 2121 09128 ext 11 Mob: +40 7450 39655 e-mail: nastasia.belc@bioresurse.ro - To promote EUROAGRI+ activities; - To disseminate information to the relevant actors from the field; - To organise symposia, debates and other events for EUROAGRI+; - To generate projects; - To strengthen the relationship between SMEs and research.

Expertise

The Institute (IFB) is a food research institute which belongs to the MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY, ENVIRONMENT AND WATER. IFB is an extra-budgetary institution founded by Governmental Decision 677/2001. IFB is NCP food for the MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY. Out of their activity is consulting in international research programmes, food and feed industry and agriculture.

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Contribution to project

The pan-European network aims of EUREKA will be fulfilled with participation in EUROAGRI+. The contribution will look to decrease the gap of different levels of technological development between European countries and raise the concern about the industrial application and its public acceptance in MACEDONIA. There will be development of a synergy scheme with FP7 (Framework Programme 7) projects.

Expertise

- Contact point of the Hellenic Development Assistance and Collaboration Programme. Scientific programmes supported by the Ministry of Health of GREECE with the following activities: survey of epidemiological aspects of BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy = mad cow disease), Leishmaniosis, Filariosis and Ricketsiosis. - Coordinator of the project 'Genetic variability in different populations at dog breed Sharplaninec' in collaboration with the FACULTY OF VETERINARY MEDICINE LJUBLJANA, SLOVENIA. With the following activities: Isolation of DNA (Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid), PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) methodology. - Coordinator of the Joint European Project (JEP) Tempus project CD_15017 - 2000 (807). Improvement of veterinary education in the REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA Project identified by the commission as relevant for studying university/enterprise cooperation. - Project: 'Strengthening the veterinary services in the FYR MACEDONIA, Harmonisation of Veterinary Legislation with the Acquis Communautaire Project Coordinator Klaus Meyn, GFA TERRA SYSTEMS GMBH On the position - Local veterinary expert - Operation of the veterinary sub-sector managed by the European Agency for Reconstruction. - Coordinator of the national project 'Animal Chlamydiosis and its zoonotic implications' which is part of COST action 855. Network of collaboration among researchers in the field of animal and human chlamydioses. Harmonisation of diagnostic methods. Member of the Domain Committee for Food and Agriculture/COST programme. Rapporteur for mid-term and final evaluation of the COST Actions 848; 854; 952.