The Kick-off conference of the project “Supporting EEA Agri-food communities and networks by developing digital food quality and traceability services using blockchain technology,” funded by SmartAgriHubs through Horizon 2020, took place in hybrid format on June 8, 2022.
The launch event took place physically at the Tera Tehnopolis DIH headquarters in Osijek, Croatia.
Those interested had the opportunity to watch the conference, in virtual form, through the specialized event platform. The meeting was attended by over 60 participants interested in the latest technological innovations in the agri-food sector. The presented content could also be watched LIVE on the Green eDIH Youtube channel.
The conference was opened by Tera Tehnopolis Director Ana ŠARIĆ, who briefly presented the project partners: Green Digital Innovation HUB (Green eDIH) – Romania, Hadas Bar – Israel, Smart Village – Bosnia and Herzegovina and Tera IH, Centar Kompetencija and Cuspis- Croatia. The consortium partners presented each organization and its role in this project.
Project coordinator Iulian STOLERIU (Green eDIH) and Vinko KOJUNDŽIĆ (Cuspis) explained the importance of food traceability to reduce contamination and the risk of disease before the product reaches the final consumer. At the same time, they presented the concept and the digital platform that will be developed and tested during the project, the main goal being to increase the participation of Digital Innovation Centers (DIHs) in Southeast Europe in the digital transformation of the agri-food sector, with emphasis on food traceability blockchain. The project will solve the problem of food traceability through the following services:
- Complement initial scouting and ecosystem analysis
- Development of the Agro-digitalisation Roadmap using blockchain technologies and Proof of Concept
- Brokerage, education, and knowledge-sharing activities
- Promotion and Dissemination of project results
- Lab facilities and support for innovative business models.
The consortium partners selected specific products to focus on during the project: eggs, Slavic black pigs, apples, wine, and avocados. For all products chosen by each partner, the elements of the technology plan will be fully implemented, demonstrating the feasibility and benefits for each stakeholder. Through the project, the partners will be provided with new digital services, which they will then transfer to the interested parties and will be able to use all the latest knowledge acquired in their further activities.
The mainstay of the project, blockchain technology, was presented to the public by CUSPIS founder Vinko KOJUNDŽIĆ. He explained the development of blockchain technology and its importance for the agri-food sector, specifically for producers and consumers. The presentation concluded that by developing the right tool, the information could be gathered along the supply chain and presented simply to the end customer, who can access the history of each food product.
The conference ended with an open discussion, in which all participants had the opportunity to ask questions and learn more about industry-specific challenges and opportunities.
The project is being implemented between May and September 2022 and is addressed to all producers, consumers, central and local authorities, and representatives of consumer protection associations.
The official website of the project: www.f2f.dih.green
This project has received funding from SmartAgriHubs through the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and innovation programme under grant agreement № 818182
