Report: “Assessment of Research and Innovation on Food Systems by European Member States"

The SCAR FOOD SYSTEMS STRATEGIC WORKING GROUP has carried out a qualitative and quantitative mapping of:

• public R&I funding at national and regional level related to Food Systems and their alignment to the FOOD 2030 priorities
• existing policies and strategies that are linked to Food and Nutrition security

The quantitative mapping analyses the investment stream, reveals the gaps in R&I and provides an overview of government funds used for food system research, development and innovation during the last five years (from 2012 to 2016).
Quantitative Mapping main objectives are:

• To evaluate how food and nutrition security and sustainability R&I are included in each MS
• To point out the coherence between the policy and funding.
• To increase the common understanding of the current situation across Member States.
• To get an overview of status, to reveal knowledge and to raise opportunities to collaborate in order to fulfil the FOOD 2030 expectations

The data are summarized as:

• the total amount of funding in € per year
• the total amount of funding per year in € and as % of total funding for each of the
  1. Food systems categories and food systems sub-categories
  2. FOOD 2030 key areas.

Guidelines for quantitative mapping

The qualitative mapping is based on the different policies and strategies related to Food and Nutrition Securities (FNS), Bio economy and priorities of FOOD2030 in each Member States and their integration.

Qualitative mapping questionnaire and MS answers

The mapping exercise is continuing and other countries are still gathering data to achieve their mapping.  A more complete vision of R&I European Member States investment in food systems is expected by the end of 2018/ beginning of 2019.