AE4EU - Agroecology for Europe - UNISG - University of Gastronomic Sciences

Agroecology for sustainable agricultural and food systems. Agroecology is emerging as development of sustainable agricultural and food systems in Europe. The EU-funded AE4EU project will contribute to research and innovation on agroecology development through various strategic goals.

Preliminary information

SCIENTIFIC MANAGER: Paola Migliorini

OTHER UNISG RESEARCHERS INVOLVED: Alice Fassò, Natalia Rastorgueva

PARTNERSHIP: Institut Superieur D’agriculture Rhone Alpes ISARA (France), Agroecology Europe (Belgium), Johann Heinrich Von Thuenen-Institut – Bundesforschungsinstitut Fuer Laendliche Raeume – Wald Und Fischerei (Germany), Coventry University (United Kingdom), Stichting Wageningen Research (Netherlands) , Agroecologiki – Gkisakis (Greece), European Coordination Via Campesina (Belgium), Council for Agricultural Research and Analysis of Agricultural Economics (Italy), Universidad De Santiago De Compostela (Spain), Asociatia Eco Ruralis-In Sprijinulfermieril Or Ecological Si Traditional (Romania), Sveriges Lantbruksuniversitet (Sweden)

DURATION OF THE PROJECT: 36 months (January 2021 – December 2023)

BANDO DI FINANZIAMENTO: European Union H2020 FNR-01-2020: Strengthening the European agro-ecological research and innovation ecosystem (ID: 101000478)

MAIN INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH AREA IN UNISG: Environment

WEBSITE: https://www.ae4eu.eu/

SDGs:

Description

The current situation in Europe clearly indicates that major changes are needed to develop sustainable agricultural and food systems. In this respect, agroecology is increasingly seen as transition towards sustainable farming and food systems. Although a certain development of agroecology and its different facets in Europe can be stated, it remains so far too limited to allow a successful transition to sustainable agriculture and food systems.

The present project proposal will contribute to agroecology research and innovation development through different strategic objectives. AE4EU will develop a road map and framework for a European network of agroecological living labs (LL) and research infrastructure (RI), and other relevant actors. Major avenues for this will be the mapping of local, regional and national state of the art and initiatives in different European countries, provide also a more comprehensive and detailed overview of how agroecology is understood.

This will lay out the ground to connect relevant actors of identified initiatives, LL, RI, funding schemes and policies. Further, the project will identify and assess past and ongoing agroecological LL and RI initiatives, and how they derive relevant and successful approaches for transition to agroecological production and food systems. Moreover, AE4EU will identify and analyse policy frameworks that include elements of agroecology and provide recommendations for future reinforcement and adaptation.

The project will as well work out propositions for potential changes and improvements for enlarged and complementary funding of public and philanthropic/private funders to enhance research, practice and innovation of agroecology in Europe. The overall goal of AE4EU is through reinforced networks development of actors across Europe accelerate the transition to sustainable agriculture and food systems.

Living Lab