The digital transformation of food systems has entered a twilight zone: data-driven innovations have proven to be promising, but it is still unclear how to upscale adoption and have broader acceptance. The Data4Food2030 project aims to improve the data economy for food systems (DE4FS) by expanding its definition, mapping its development, performance and impact to create new insights and opportunities. This contributes to a more competitive and sustainable food system in the EU and supports implementation and adaptation of relevant policies such as a Digital Single Market, Green Deal and the Common Agricultural Policy. Data4Food2030 is a 4-year project that aims to 1) enlarge the knowledge base and insight into the DE4FS, 2) develop a system that monitors and evaluates the development, performance and impact of the DE4FS on relevant EU policies 3) identify drivers and barriers and turn these into opportunities, recommendations and solutions, 4) test solutions and evaluate recommendations in case studies and through stakeholder dialogues and 5) provide future scenarios and a roadmap and sustain the monitoring system to support policy development and accelerate the desired future state of the DE4FS. Data4Food2030’s approach is targeted at an improved future state of the DE4FS from which clear design principles, recommendations and solutions are derived for improving and adapting policies and practices at public and private level. As an essential part of the project, stakeholders are deeply engaged to provide input to various DE4FS concepts and evaluate several project outcomes to increase the impact of the project. Nine case studies provide real-life examples of the DE4FS at micro- and meso-economic level, deploying data and technologies, which are used for mapping and improvement to promote data-enabled business models. In this way, Data4Food2030 creates credible pathways to navigate properly through the twilight zone towards a fair, inclusive and innovative DE4FS.

WelFarmers will set up eight national innovation networks and four Europe-wide networks of pig farmers, advisors, veterinarians and researchers to address the challenges of the upcoming change in the European pig welfare legislation. WelFarmers will address four main topics: cage ban; keeping pigs with uncovered tails; avoiding pain during castration and space and flooring. The most urgent innovation needs and challenges will be identified in a bottom up way and the network will collect and evaluate good practices that meet these needs. WelFarmers will also strive to collaborate with existing and new EIP-AGRI operational groups (OGs) and EU research projects focused on pig welfare and to enhance their impact. The selected best practices will be disseminated through a series of communication and dissemination activities to reach most pig farmers in the eight participating countries and in Europe. EIP abstracts, thematic reports videos, brochures, e-news, national workshops, transnational cross-fertilisation events and a multilingual website are some of the dissemination methods planned to communicate and disseminate the best practices.

HealthyLivestock aims to reduce antimicrobial (AM) use by the pig and broiler industries in China and Europe, and consequent residues in meat and the environment, by improving animal health & welfare without compromising productivity. Phase 1, combining efforts from 5 Chinese and 8 EU academic partners, will include novel scientific approaches in 4 interlinked strategies to reduce AM need. 1) Biosecurity: reducing risk of pathogen presence within a farm through zoning-based Health & Welfare plans, including animal based indicators of success. 2) Resilience: increasing ability of animals to cope with endemic diseases, through novel stress-reducing housing systems and probiotic improvement of gut health. 3) Rapid detection: applying precision farming techniques to facilitate early detection, diagnosis and intervention of health & welfare problems. 4) Precision medication: using pharmacokinetics to target AM to only individuals or groups in need. Phase 2 will validate the technical innovations by establishing their societal acceptability and economic viability. It will also assess the relationships between the Health & Welfare plans, the level of pathogens on the farm and AM residues in product and manure. In phase 3 the project’s industrial partners dedicate their network and expertise to knowledge exchange. The Federation of Veterinarians of Europe will lead dissemination of the scientific findings through Technical Notes. China’s only animal welfare standard setting organisation ICCAW, and Europe’s leading organisation GLOBALG.A.P., will strengthen their Quality Assurance schemes. Zoetis, the world’s largest veterinary pharmaceutical company, will develop and disseminate their pig and poultry advisory apps for global use. Finally, HealthyLivestock will support Chinese and EU policy making through CAAS and its links with International Veterinary Collaboration for China, and through the forthcoming EU Animal Welfare Platform and Network of Welfare Reference Centres.