The European fresh produce sector will soon have a new innovation partnership, it has emerged.
Theresearch and innovation committee of the Assembly of European fruit, vegetable and plant producing regions, AREFLH, has agreed to create theEuropean Innovation Partnership (EIP) for fruit and vegetables in association with European fresh produce association Freshfel.
Thetwo organisations will lead the project, which will group research, experimentation and knowledge-transfer centres and organisations across the production and marketing sectors of the industry.
The aim of the partnership is to present to the European Commission research and innovation projects for 2014-2020 framework programmes as part of the EUpolicy to promote innovation and transfer research results for the benefit of end users.
The main themes for the EIP are sustainableproduction through cutting the use of pesticides and minimising chemical residues, and improving access to markets through product development and finding new market niches.
“The aim of the EU is to promote a policy of innovation which makes it possible to transfer the results to the end users from fundamental and applied research,” AREFLH said in a statement.
But Nigel Jenney, chief executive of the Fresh Produce Consortium, stressed the initiative must focus on bringing tangible solutions that the industry can use. “This project needs to deliver practical solutions,” he said. “In Europe, as a region,we need to be looking at how we can produce more sustainably in the future. Any research needs to be referred to the industry practically and not left sitting on a shelf at a university.”
The partnershipwill be unveiled and discussed at a special conference, The EIP on Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability – Priorities and Delivery Mechanisms, on 19 November.
