Connecting the dots to unleash the innovation potential for digital transformation of the European agri-food sector (SmartAgriHubs)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Societal Challenges
Programme: Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine and maritime and inland water research and the bioeconomy
Theme: Sustainable agriculture and forestry
Action type: Innovation actions
Countries involved: Germany,Austria,Italy,Italy,Austria,Spain,Ireland,Italy,Italy,Spain,Spain,Spain,Ireland,Germany,Spain,Germany,Germany,Germany,Austria,Austria,Germany,Germany,Spain,Ireland,Ireland,Ireland,Italy,Italy,Belgium,Bulgaria,Romania,Sweden,Greece,Poland,Switzerland,Serbia,Belgium,Belgium,Belgium,Romania,Serbia,Belgium,Finland,Hungary,Hungary,Switzerland,Belgium,Belgium,Finland,Greece,Greece,Slovenia,Sweden,Latvia,Latvia,Latvia,France,France,France,France,France,France,Czechia,Czechia,Netherlands,Netherlands,Netherlands,Netherlands,Netherlands,Netherlands,United Kingdom,Denmark,Denmark,Portugal,Denmark,Denmark,Portugal,Portugal,Portugal,Portugal
Call: ICT Innovation for agriculture – Digital Innovation Hubs for Agriculture (H2020-RUR-2018-1, 2018)
Start date: 2018-11-01
End date: 2022-11-30
Duration (months): 49.0
Total project cost (EUR): 22400850.78
EU funding (EUR): 19999458.62
Participants: 120
Project status: SIGNED

SmartAgriHubs is dedicated to accelerate the digital transformation of the European agri-food sector. It will consolidate, activate and extend the current ecosystem by building a network of Digital Innovation Hubs (DIHs) that will boost the uptake of digital solutions by the farming sector. This will be achieved by integrating technology and business support in a local one-stop-shop approach involving all regions and all relevant players in Europe. The heart of the project is formed by 28 flagship innovation experiments demonstrating digital innovations in agriculture, facilitated by DIHs from 9 Regional Clusters including all European member states. Concurrently, SmartAgriHubs will improve the maturity of innovation services of DIHs so that digital innovations will be replicated across Europe and widely adopted by European farmers. A lean multi-actor approach focusing on user acceptability, stakeholder engagement and sustainable business models will boost technology and market readiness levels and bring user adoption to the next level. This will be enhanced by synergetic effects between SmartAgriHubs and RIS3, since SmartAgriHubs will work in lock step with European regions to maximize the return of European investments, including regional structural funds and private capital. Open Calls with a total budget of ±6 M€ will expand the network and ensure that technological developments and emerging challenges of the agri-food sector are incorporated in the DIH service portfolio. SmartAgriHubs’ inclusive structure and ambitious targets will bring the entire European ecosystem together, connecting the dots to ensure global leadership for Europe in the AgTech market. The consortium, led by Wageningen Research and other partners of previous key projects such as IoF2020, FIWARE, S3P Agri-Food and I4MS, will leverage the existing ecosystem and guarantee a maximum ROI for European taxpayers and a vital agri-food sector producing adequate and safe food for future generations.

Keywords: digital innovation hubs,smart farming,digital agriculture,food security,business innovation,open call,innovation experiment,competence centers,smart specialization strategy