Inspirational ideas: Healthy food and short supply chains

Biologically valuable products are food products that are high in biologically active compounds: vitamins, essential amino acids, unsaturated fatty acids, minerals. INNOFOOD HUB, an EIP-AGRI Operational Group from Lithuania, is developing a short food supply chain model and local markets for these healthy, fresh, seasonal products.

In Lithuania, farms growing and producing biologically valuable products face a number of challenges. In 2019, researchers from the Vytautas Magnus University set up an Operational Group, in collaboration with the Lithuanian Family Farmers' Union, UAB Kvalitetas, Full House Community and a group of farmers to find a sustainable solution for these challenges. Vilma Atkočiūnienė, project coordinator explains “In Lithuania, small and medium-sized farms often do not recognise their competitive advantages and rarely implement a short food supply chain strategy. The range of local, biologically valuable food products in supermarkets is too narrow, the supply of products produced by local farmers is too low and costs of production are too high”. 

The project brings together innovative farmers and other stakeholders in the ‘INNOFOOD HUB’- a collaborative network. Vilma explains, “The INNOFOOD HUB aims to provide the opportunity for people to share good practices in the management of short, healthy food supply chains and to promote the development of markets. Farmers do not only supply products, but they also directly exchange knowledge with end users about the cultivation, preparation, consumption of products, their value to human health and their impact on nature.” 

The INNOFOOD HUB will create a self-regulatory model for short food supply chains for biologically valuable products. In order to achieve this, the project is running a number of activities. The project has been analysing best practices from other EU countries on the ‘farm-to-fork’ experience of innovative farms cultivating and producing biologically valuable products. The resulting scientific study highlights the benefits of short supply chains and identifies success factors and characteristics as well as limitations.

Furthermore, the project has been assessing the trends and opportunities in the development of markets for biologically valuable products. Interactive relationships with consumers based on the development of trust and collaboration will be developed and tested. A database of market research on the needs of biologically valuable products is being developed and includes national and EU strategy documents, a list of producers and consumers of bio-valuable products, certification information, e-platforms, international projects, publications, videos and more.

The INNOFOOD HUB is divided into 3 local food community hubs in three pilot districts, uniting 21 farmers producing bio-valuable products and gathering a network of consumers and other relevant stakeholders from the supply chain. Within each pilot area, INNOFOOD HUB members meet regularly, organise educational events together and share experiences. They discuss what they can do to increase the value of their products or expand the range of their products, how to improve the supply and storage of production resources and raw materials, the production, processing, sale and consumption of food based on the principles of the circular economy, how the products are grown, produced and consumed in the closest possible area (max. 70 km) and how to achieve no more than 1 intermediary between the grower and the consumer. The Operational Group has created an online partnership platform where participants can continue to exchange knowledge.

 “We also want to create a culture of innovation and creation, so we are also running activities to encourage members of the INNOFOOD HUB to submit and implement new national and international projects. We have also set up a local food chain coordination centre by providing storage, logistics and other services for local products. The operation of such a centre is a great boost for farmers in the district who want to sell their products on the local market” says Vilma. She continuous, “by focusing on the local market with local products, this project addresses the issues of re-use of production waste and reduces production logistics, transportation and sales costs.”

The results of the project will have a direct impact on the viability and competitiveness of farms involved in short supply chains of biologically valuable products. The INNOFOOD HUB and the models and methodologies developed will support farms from an innovative, technological, managerial and marketing point of view. The system also contributes to quality and health, as well as economic and environmental sustainability. 

More information

•    Contact: Vilma Atkočiūnienė vilma.atkociuniene@vdu.lt

•    Project website: https://innofoodhub.vdu.lt

•    Webpage on EIP-AGRI website 

Photos: INNOFOOD HUB.