INNOECOFOOD Project Kicks Off at CIIMAR Headquarters
Matosinhos, Portugal — February 6th–8th, 2024
The INNOECOFOOD Project officially launched at the Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR) headquarters in Matosinhos, Portugal, marking the beginning of a transformative journey to promote eco-innovative technologies for sustainable food production and nutrition in Africa.
Funded under the Horizon Europe Programme, the project brings together a strong consortium of research institutions, universities, and private sector partners from Africa and Europe, united by a shared vision to develop and implement innovative, circular, and climate-smart solutions for Africa’s food systems.
A Collaborative Vision for Food Systems Transformation
The three-day kick-off meeting at CIIMAR set the foundation for coordination, collaboration, and knowledge sharing among partners. Participants reviewed the project’s roadmap, work plans, and strategic framework for implementation across multiple African countries, reaffirming the project’s ambition to enhance nutrition, empower communities, and protect ecosystems.
The INNOECOFOOD initiative aims to create EcoHubs and Living Labs—centers of innovation that will demonstrate sustainable aquaculture, spirulina, and insect-based food production. These hubs will serve as training, research, and business incubation spaces designed to build local capacities, particularly among women and youth, while promoting environmentally responsible and economically viable food value chains.
Driving Innovation for Nutrition and Sustainability
At its core, INNOECOFOOD focuses on eco-innovative technologies that address critical challenges in food security and sustainability. The project’s objectives include:
- Developing integrated production systems that combine aquaculture, spirulina, and insect farming for nutritious and sustainable food sources.
- Enhancing value addition and processing technologies to reduce post-harvest losses and improve market competitiveness of agroecological products.
- Strengthening food quality and safety standards, ensuring that new products meet consumer expectations and health requirements.
- Building local capacity and skills through training, demonstrations, and community-based knowledge transfer.
- Promoting circular and inclusive business models that drive rural innovation and foster public-private partnerships for long-term impact.
- Establishing robust data management and communication frameworks to ensure transparency, open knowledge exchange, and collaborative learning among partners.
A Shared Commitment Across Continents
The kick-off meeting reaffirmed the consortium’s commitment to inclusive and science-based transformation of food systems. European and African partners agreed on coordinated actions to ensure timely establishment of the EcoHubs, implementation of sustainable production systems, and alignment with ethical, environmental, and gender considerations.
Participants also discussed the importance of knowledge dissemination, stakeholder engagement, and awareness creation as key pillars of the project. Through effective communication and community participation, INNOECOFOOD seeks to build public trust and inspire behavior change toward sustainable diets and responsible food production.
Towards a Resilient and Nutritious Future
The INNOECOFOOD Project represents a major step toward achieving sustainable, equitable, and climate-resilient food systems in Africa. By combining scientific innovation with community engagement, the project will contribute to healthier diets, environmental protection, and economic empowerment across the continent.
The launch event in Portugal concluded with a strong sense of unity and optimism as partners pledged to work together toward the project’s overarching goal—to deliver eco-innovative, inclusive, and sustainable solutions that nourish people while nurturing the planet.
About INNOECOFOOD
The INNOECOFOOD Project (Eco-innovative technologies for improved nutrition, sustainable production and marketing of agroecological food products in Africa) is funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme. Coordinated by CIIMAR (Portugal), the project brings together partners from Africa and Europe, including research institutions, universities, and private sector actors.
Its goal is to promote eco-innovative food production technologies that improve nutrition, strengthen value chains, and build sustainable food systems while empowering women and youth across Africa.
Matosinhos, Portugal — February 6–8, 2024
The INNOECOFOOD Project officially launched at the Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR) headquarters in Matosinhos, Portugal, marking the beginning of a transformative journey to promote eco-innovative technologies for sustainable food production and nutrition in Africa.
Funded under the Horizon Europe Programme, the project brings together a strong consortium of research institutions, universities, and private sector partners from Africa and Europe, united by a shared vision to develop and implement innovative, circular, and climate-smart solutions for Africa’s food systems.
A Collaborative Vision for Food Systems Transformation
The three-day kick-off meeting at CIIMAR set the foundation for coordination, collaboration, and knowledge sharing among partners. Participants reviewed the project’s roadmap, work plans, and strategic framework for implementation across multiple African countries, reaffirming the project’s ambition to enhance nutrition, empower communities, and protect ecosystems.
The INNOECOFOOD initiative aims to create EcoHubs and Living Labs—centers of innovation that will demonstrate sustainable aquaculture, spirulina, and insect-based food production. These hubs will serve as training, research, and business incubation spaces designed to build local capacities, particularly among women and youth, while promoting environmentally responsible and economically viable food value chains.
Driving Innovation for Nutrition and Sustainability
At its core, INNOECOFOOD focuses on eco-innovative technologies that address critical challenges in food security and sustainability. The project’s objectives include:
Developing integrated production systems that combine aquaculture, spirulina, and insect farming for nutritious and sustainable food sources.
Enhancing value addition and processing technologies to reduce post-harvest losses and improve market competitiveness of agroecological products.
Strengthening food quality and safety standards, ensuring that new products meet consumer expectations and health requirements.
Building local capacity and skills through training, demonstrations, and community-based knowledge transfer.
Promoting circular and inclusive business models that drive rural innovation and foster public-private partnerships for long-term impact.
Establishing robust data management and communication frameworks to ensure transparency, open knowledge exchange, and collaborative learning among partners.
A Shared Commitment Across Continents
The kick-off meeting reaffirmed the consortium’s commitment to inclusive and science-based transformation of food systems. European and African partners agreed on coordinated actions to ensure timely establishment of the EcoHubs, implementation of sustainable production systems, and alignment with ethical, environmental, and gender considerations.
Participants also discussed the importance of knowledge dissemination, stakeholder engagement, and awareness creation as key pillars of the project. Through effective communication and community participation, INNOECOFOOD seeks to build public trust and inspire behavior change toward sustainable diets and responsible food production.
Towards a Resilient and Nutritious Future
The INNOECOFOOD Project represents a major step toward achieving sustainable, equitable, and climate-resilient food systems in Africa. By combining scientific innovation with community engagement, the project will contribute to healthier diets, environmental protection, and economic empowerment across the continent.
The launch event in Portugal concluded with a strong sense of unity and optimism as partners pledged to work together toward the project’s overarching goal—to deliver eco-innovative, inclusive, and sustainable solutions that nourish people while nurturing the planet.
About INNOECOFOOD
The INNOECOFOOD Project (Eco-innovative technologies for improved nutrition, sustainable production and marketing of agroecological food products in Africa) is funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme. Coordinated by CIIMAR (Portugal), the project brings together partners from Africa and Europe, including research institutions, universities, and private sector actors.
Its goal is to promote eco-innovative food production technologies that improve nutrition, strengthen value chains, and build sustainable food systems while empowering women and youth across Africa.
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