Leading agriculture and food organisations have reiterated the call for a greater push to increase innovation within the sector…
Innovation should be considered during every stage of the legislative process, said leading EU agriculture and food organisations during the 7th European Innovation Summit.
The Knowledge4Innovation event was hosted at the European Parliament in Brussels and included more than 30 MEPs.
During the event support was confirmed for the “innovation principle” to continue with a science-based approach to policy making. It is hoped this will guarantee the long term competitiveness of the EU agricultural sector.
Chair of the Agri-Food Chain Coalition (AFCC) Alexander Döring said: “Policy makers cannot ignore the EU agri-food sector’s need to stay at the forefront of technological innovation, in order to provide solutions for the agricultural and food security challenges ahead.
“Regulatory measures should encourage investment.
“We need to bring new products to market, and ensure that there are fewer regulatory hurdles to doing so. We must strive to remain competitive on the global market.
MEP Anthea McIntyre, who hosted the event, said: “As the global population rises, satisfying the demand for healthy food and optimal nutrition is one of the biggest challenges facing the world. Technological innovation is a vital part of the solution.
“Agricultural technologies, in particular, have the potential to make farming more productive and more sustainable.”
The debate on Smart Regulations and Innovation for EU Agriculture gave the AFCC and the Bio-based Industries Joint Undertaking (BBI JU) the opportunity to show the importance of innovation in improving food security.
Executive Director of BBI JU Philippe Mengal said: “Agricultural and food industry side streams are commonly used as feed or fertilisers.
“The Bio-Based Industries Joint Undertaking aims to explore significant opportunities for further valorisation of such resources into new applications and markets through open calls for proposals,” said
“The BBI JU will also contribute tools for the realisation of a sustainable circular economy and ensure that biomass is mobilised in a sustainable way to avoid land conflicts with food production,” he added.
