In the first of our three-part blog series on collaboration, SecureFood partners outline their visions for the ambitious project
In response to the myriad of challenges facing global food security, the SecureFood Horizon Europe project aims to present a united front of collaborative innovation. The ambitious initiative that is SecureFood brings together a diverse range of expertise and experience from across Europe, striving to enhance the resilience of our food supply chains through systems thinking, scientific knowledge, and digital solutions.
In pursuit of this and to raise awareness of our work, we’ve invited consortium partners to share their unique perspectives on what they hope the SecureFood project will achieve, and the joint efforts of our consortium to fulfil such objectives.
In the first of our two part blog series, several of our partners have offered their unique insights into the multifaceted approach being taken by SecureFood to safeguard food security across the European Union and beyond.
Galanakis Laboratories
SecureFood is a transformative initiative aimed at enhancing the resilience of food supply chains by integrating cutting-edge research, collaborative governance, and digital tools. The project provides data-driven insights to mitigate vulnerabilities and reinforce preparedness against disruptions by identifying key food security drivers across biophysical, technological, economic, and socio-cultural dimensions.
Galanakis Laboratories envisions SecureFood as a platform that bridges scientific research with real-world impact, equipping stakeholders with actionable strategies to ensure sustainable food security. A crucial element of this effort is the WASTE-SEC tool, which enables food actors to optimise food loss and waste management through scenario modelling. By simulating the effects of different food security drivers on FLW and food security indices, WASTE-SEC helps stakeholders design targeted interventions to enhance resilience and minimize waste without compromising food availability.
Through its holistic approach, SecureFood will contribute to a more adaptive, sustainable, and efficient food system, fostering long-term food security solutions across diverse supply chains.
Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies (IAMO)
As an agricultural economist and agent-based modeler at the Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies (IAMO), Franziska Appel focuses on agricultural structural change and policy impacts.
Within SecureFood, Franziska is using the agent-based model AgriPoliS to simulate the evolution of agricultural structures in the Ukrainian case study region over time. AgriPoliS is particularly useful in simulating the effects of policy changes and external stresses on agricultural systems. By modelling individual farm-level decision-making and market interactions, it helps assess how shocks—such as economic disruptions, environmental changes, or geopolitical instability—impact agricultural structures and food production.
By integrating participatory methods, Franziska and IAMO aim to bridge the gap between model-based insights and real-world agricultural challenges. She is particularly looking forward to collaborating with our Ukrainian partners to better understand their regional agricultural dynamics. Through this partnership, we will work together to adapt and apply the AgriPoliS model, providing them with a valuable tool to analyse structural changes, policy impacts, and resilience strategies tailored to their specific needs.
Ultimately, Franziska hopes that the insights gained from these simulations will enable policymakers and stakeholders to design more effective strategies for strengthening the resilience of Ukraine’s food production systems.
EMPRACTIS
At EMPRACTIS, we envision SecureFood as more than just a project; it is a transformative force in food security, shaping a future where secure food is not a concern but an assured reality.
Our hope is to build a resilient food system, where research, collaboration, innovation and technology work together to safeguard the continuity of food supply chains at every stage. From the very beginning, we have prioritised designing all solutions with society’s needs at the forefront, truly listening to the voices of those we aim to serve. We work closely with stakeholders, maintaining continuous dialogue to better understand their challenges, perspectives, and aspirations.
A key priority of EMPRACTIS is to equip food actors with the essential knowledge and tools needed to strengthen their technical, organisational, and operational resilience against both current and future disruptions, while maintaining a continued commitment to sustainability.
More than anything, we want to shape the path ahead, empowering stakeholders to take proactive steps toward building a sustainable and secure food future – one that is resilient, adaptable and well-prepared to withstand the uncertainties of tomorrow.
Forging a Resilient Food Future Together
These partner perspectives illustrate the multidisciplinary approach that makes SecureFood so powerful. From Galanakis Laboratories’ innovative WASTE-SEC tool for optimising food waste management, to EMPRACTIS’s human-centred approach to stakeholder engagement – each and every partner in the SecureFood consortium brings unique expertise to address different facets of food security challenges.
What unites these diverse approaches is a shared commitment to building resilience through collaboration, knowledge sharing, and technological innovation. By integrating scientific research with practical tools and stakeholder engagement, SecureFood is creating solutions that are both scientifically rigorous and practically applicable across Europe’s diverse food systems.
As the project progresses, these complementary approaches will continue to evolve and intersect, creating a comprehensive framework for food security that can adapt to changing circumstances and emerging challenges. Together, we are not just responding to current threats but building a foundation for a more secure, sustainable, and resilient food future for all Europeans.
To learn more about SecureFood and to stay updated on our research, work, and progress, visit secure-food.eu or follow us on our social media channels:
LinkedIn: SecureFood
BlueSky: @securefoodeu.bsky.social
X: @SecureFoodEU
