The overarching vision of this partnership is to involve consumers and end-users in agrifood innovation, as an innovative approach to both regional growth and as part of the solutions to the global food challenges.
With this thematic partnership on Consumer Involvement in Agrifood Innovation we want to empower communities of consumers by exploring and developing different paths to enhance consumer involvement in the innovation process in this sector. This partnership aspires to take a leading role in the transition of the Agrifood sector. For a healthy and resilient food system, active involvement and understanding of consumers is crucial for developing the sector in corporation with academia, businesses and public institutions. Mutual understanding between parties in the value chain is essential for trust in the food sector value chain, and to develop a food supply chain that answers to future consumer and market demands. Questions to be addressed are: What do future user demands mean for existing business models and what are the needs for transforming business models in the future? What ways are there to let consumers engage in product design and production innovation? How can consumers play an active role as partners in innovation? What options are there for living labs aimed at not only product development, but actual improvement of the way we deal with our food in everyday life? How can consumer involvement help to increase sustainability in the food-chain? What does this mean for the fit between demand and supply?