Strengthening the innovation ecosystem from early-stage research and innovation through to deployment and market uptake is the focus of a new approach to agrifood unveiled by the European Commission.
The Commission says that the strategy brings together two frameworks, the AgRI2040 and the Food2040. The former focuses on agriculture, forestry and rural areas, and the latter on food systems including fisheries and aquaculture. The strategy puts greater emphasis on users’ challenges and needs and on the delivery of real impact on the ground by bringing together end users, researchers and businesses to co-create, test and demonstrate solutions in real-world settings, the Commission said. "This will also help start-ups, scaleups and SMEs to move promising innovation closer to the market,” the it said.
The strategy document: New Strategic Approach to Research and Innovation for competitive, resilient and sustainable agriculture, forestry, rural areas and food systems, sets out the strength of Europe's agrifood sector but says that innovation is needed. The Commission notes that agrifood tech investment in Europe fell by 67% between 2020 and 2024.
“To maintain global leadership, the sector must innovate and modernise more quickly. Despite higher spending on research and development over time, Europe’s scientific excellence in the agrifood sector, for instance on digital and AI applications, is facing challenges. If the status quo is maintained and the current innovation and deployment gap persists, future agricultural total factor productivity growth is expected to remain modest,” the strategy document says. The Commission adds that “sustainable competitiveness driven by research and innovation is at the core of the vision for agriculture and food.”
Highlighting the areas that are set to be reviewed the Commission’s strategy says that innovative SMEs and startups in the agrifood sector are well placed to develop, adapt and scaleup solutions across different contexts but warns that "Fragmented funding, regulatory complexity and insufficient support at higher technology readiness levels remain key barriers to turning research into market-ready products and services in the agri-food sector.”
The strategy will also include a mechanism for early identification of promising research and innovation results with commercial potential. The selected results could receive “light-touch, rapid and flexible top up funding to bridge the gap between research and early-stage market validation,” the strategy document says.
“Europe is leading in science and research, but too many breakthrough solutions still struggle to reach consumers and markets. The ultimate goal is to help innovators, start-ups and businesses turn bold ideas into innovative solutions that boost competitiveness, strengthen food security, food safety, sustainability and resilience, and deliver real benefits for people and the planet,” said Ekaterina Zaharieva, European commissioner for startups, research and innovation.
Underpinned by engagement across biotechnology and biomanufacturing hubs as well as universities, and research institutions, the Commission adds that the strategy will also focus on restoring and maintaining healthy soils and resilient water systems. Implementation of the 19-step strategy will be begin during the the first quarter of 2027 and rolled out through to the final quarter of 2028.
Further reading:
- Agriculture R&D: Spending and researcher numbers grow
- Why healthy soil is a hidden economic powerhouse
- Building resilient food systems: The international outlook
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