World Food Day: discover HaDEA-managed projects contributing to sustainable agriculture

World Food Day is celebrated every year worldwide on October 16. It is commemorating the date of the founding of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in 1945. This year’s theme is “Right to foods for a better life and a better future." 

Discover how some of HaDEA-managed projects, funded under Horizon Europe, address innovation for a sustainable agriculture. These projects are developing the next generation of fertilisers, biocides, and plant protection products for agriculture, based on new delivery systems made from advanced materials, nanomaterials, and bio-based materials. Learn more about them: 

PHAntastic aims to reduce agrochemical and plastic pollution by developing biodegradable polymers. Based on these polymers, it will create delivery systems (mulch films and growth foams) that contain active bioproducts and will test them on horticultural crops in Europe. The project aims to contribute to more sustainable and less impactful agriculture. 

AGRO4AGRI aims to pioneer solutions for plant nutrition and protection safe for the environment and for farmers. These include nano and bio-based controlled delivery fertilisers, plant bio-stimulants, and bio-pesticides based on RNAi technology. The project’s objective is to enhance the efficiency of agrochemicals to cut their use by more than 50%. 

VINNY is developing sustainable, low-cost nanoformulated biopesticides (nanoBPs) and biofertilizers (nanoBFs) in order to contribute to more resilient vineyard systems. The application of VINNY nanoformulations will contribute to the ultimate switch from intensive to sustainable agriculture in viticulture, on a global scale. 

BioBIVE will develop bio-platforms for the controlled release of bioactive agents to prevent plant pathogens in horticultural crops (carrots, strawberry, tomatoes) as an eco-friendly alternative to chemical pesticides and synthetic compounds. 

Furthermore, HaDEA manages the strand of the EU Single Market Programme dedicated to plant and animal health and food safety. Among the programme’s objectives are the support to sustainable and resilient production of food and to effective controls along the food chain. The programme also aims to prevent food waste and to implement the EU 'Farm to Fork' targets. 

Background 

Horizon Europe is the EU’s key funding programme for research and innovation with a budget of €95.5 billion. It tackles climate change, helps to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, and boosts the EU’s competitiveness and growth. HaDEA implements parts of Horizon Europe Clusters 1 (Health) and 4 (Digital, Industry, and Space). Horizon Europe was preceded by Horizon 2020. 

The EU Single Market Programme brings together the Union actions in the fields of competitiveness of enterprises, especially SMEs, consumer protection, customers and end-users in financial services, policymaking in financial services and in the plant, animal, food and feed areas. 

The Farm to Fork Strategy (F2F) is at the heart of the European Green Deal. It aims at making food systems fair, healthy and environmentally friendly.