Contribution of Geographical Indications to intelligent territorial development and sustainability
WHAT IS GI SMART?
The GI SMART initiative aims to explore new avenues and collect a series of evidence-based recommendations that can strengthen the contribution of the Geographical Indications (GI) system to sustainable agriculture, food and food systems. Thus, the project seeks to contribute to scientific knowledge and policy development, but also to build a strong professional network to support sustainability assessment research.
Specifically, GI SMART will offer perspectives for action by: staff producing geographical indication, policymakers, consumers and local communities.
OBJECTIVES
During this process, the objectives that GI SMART seeks to achieve are:
DURATION
June 1, 2024 – June 1, 2028
PROJECT WEBSITE
@gismartproject
WHY?
GI food systems have been pioneers and forerunners in resisting the commodification of food products by maintaining stricter quality standards, as well as maintaining cultivated agrobiodiversity, breed preservation and animal welfare by medium of free-range production systems, grazing practices and landscape management.
The development of more sustainable GI food systems in Europe faces new challenges in the face of the growing demand from consumers and citizens, for more sustainable and healthy diets and nutrition, in a context of climate change.
GI-SMART will provide EU institutions and Member States with evidence-based recommendations that do not represent the official positions of the project partners but their results.
METHODOLOGY
To achieve the objectives of the EU Farm to Fork strategy, GI SMART aims to encourage the application of sustainability strategies by producer staff and their recognition by consumers and consumers, as well as to propose better design of GI policy in order to promote its delivery of sustainable agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries, as well as more sustainable food systems.
Within this scope, the project considers a dynamic perspective along four dimensions: environmental, economic, social and a last one considering the governance rules implemented by GI production groups.
Thus, throughout the four years of the project, the partners will carry out the drafting of strategic guides that can be applied both in the field of production and marketing, as well as in the formulation of policies. On the other hand, GI SMART wants to develop a multi-actor online platform that allows the exchange of knowledge between the participants.
The GI SMART project has received funding from the Horizon Europe research and innovation program grant agreement of the European Union under grant agreement nº 10113636.
PARTICIPATING ENTITIES
| COUNTRY | ORGANISATION | TYPE OF ENTITY |
| France | Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement – INRAE | Research Centre |
| France | INRAE Transfert – IT | Research Centre |
| France | AND International – AND-I | SME |
| France | Association des Regions Europeennesdes Produits d’Origine – AREPO | Association |
| France | Euromontana | Association |
| Italy | Universita Degli Studi di Parma – UNIPR | University |
| Italy | Universita Degli Studi di Firenze – UNIFI | University |
| Spain | Centre de Recerca en Economia i Desenvolupament Agroalimentari – CREDA | Research Centre |
| United Kingdom | University of Newcastle Upon Tyne – UNEW | University |
| Greece | Aristotelio Panepistimio Thessalonikis – AUTH | University |
| Portugal | Universidade de Evora – UEVORA | University |
| Germany | Universitaet Kassel – UNI KASSEL | University |
| Hungary | AgroSense Research and Consulting Limited Liability Company – AgroSense | SME |
| Belgium | European Federation of Origin Wines – EFOW | Non-profit organization |
| Belgium | Safe Food Advocacy Europe – SAFE | Non-profit organization |
| Switzerland | Origin for Sustainability – OfS | Association |
| Switzerland | Organisation for an international geographical indications network – oriGIn | Non-profit organization |
THE ROLE OF CREDA
TASK
In this project, CREDA’s work will contribute to the definition of a methodology and a set of indicators that will facilitate the economic, social, environmental and governance assessment of the sustainability of GI products.
In addition, the centre leads task 5.2, which envisages developing test methods in seven countries to understand what is the perception of consumers and consumers of GIs, and what strategies will increase demand and willingness to pay.
NEWS
GI SMART, the new project in which CREDA participates
The Horizon Europe program includes a new initiative to improve the contribution of Geographical Indications (GIs) to European food systems, with the aim of developing recommendations and policies so that consumers and consumers better understand the Farm to Fork strategy.
