About us

The project focuses in developing the organizational and operational framework of METROFOOD-IT, realising the full implementation of the infrastructure, and structuring the strategy, procedures and supporting system for the service provision via TransNational Access (covering both physical and remote access) and wide Virtual Access, thus reaching the readiness to full operation. The set of services offered will allow the infrastructure to act as an interface between research and innovation, industrial players, and consumers, defining and testing different processes and scenarios for the development of sustainable and innovative agrifood systems, food safety, healthy diets, and solutions for a circular bioeconomy.

Four main categories of users can be identified, namely: research/academic, policy makers/inspection and control agencies, food business operators, consumers/consumer associations. Furthermore, companies can be directly involved, together with citizens, inspection and control agencies, policy makers and local authorities, in co-creation and multi-actor approach initiatives. Stakeholder and user engagement is pursued along with the implementation of an open innovation hub based on Living Labs, including face-to-face and virtual sessions, as well as demonstrators of the technological services offered. A specific focus is given to education and training, by defining dedicated programmes and solutions to position the infrastructure as booster of knowledge and skills development.

The Project focuses on the electronic component of the infrastructure and its integration with the physical component, to provide services to support the digitization of agri-food systems for quality & safety, traceability, food transparency, sustainability and system resilience agri-food and the circular economy.

Main actions:

• Upgrading ed integration of the physical and electonic facilities (METROFOOD-IT fully implemented)
• Development of the organisational and operational framework of the infrastructure
• Definition of strategies, procedures and supporting system for service provision via TransNational Access (TNA) and wide Vrtual Access (VA) (METROFOOD-IT fully operational)
• Positioning in an integrated landscape
• Integration with METROFOOD ERIC
• Business plan & sustainibility plan (METROFOOD-IT sustainable in the long-run)

The project is structured in 10 inter-connected Work Packages (WPs):

• WP1 – Project management
• WP2 – Technical implementation of the physical infrastructure
• WP3- Technical implementation of the electronic infrastructure
• WP4 – Data management and quality management
• WP5 – Service development and access provision
• WP6 – Community building and users’ engagement
• WP7 – Open innovation hub
• WP8 – Training and education
• WP9 – Governance, business plan and long-term sustainability
• WP10 – Outreach, dissemination and exploitation of results