Highlights:

The Food 2030 pathways are being deployed via Horizon Europe, the EU’s framework programme for R&I (2021–2027), which provides funding to support a diversity of projects and initiatives, in Europe and beyond. It is important to note that the pathways, however, do not cover all of the thematic areas requiring EU investments in R&I related to food systems. Additional important areas of work, such as sustainable agriculture, healthy soil, agroecology, alternative pesticides, rural growth, precision farming, health and well-being, biotechnology, combating biodiversity loss, integrated water management, circular bioeconomy, cultural heritage and rural development aspects, are dealt with by other, complementary, Horizon Europe work streams. 

The pathway #9 is dedicated to “food systems in Africa”.

Horizon Europe is also contributing to several types of international cooperation co-funded institutional partnerships related to agriculture and food systems. The African Union (AU)–EU High-Level Policy Dialogue (HLPD) on Science, Technology and Innovation is the main dialogue platform for formulating joint AU–EU cooperation activities in this field. This platform and the Union for the Mediterranean Regional Platform on Research and Innovation cover Africa–Europe cooperation on R&I across the whole African and European continents. The former has given rise to the food and nutrition security and sustainable agriculture (FNSSA) partnership, and the latter is linked to the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA).

Summary of relevant research and innovation projects related to Pathway #9