LOCAL FOOD TRACE STARTS HERE
LOFT is a vocational training project supported by the Erasmus+ program of the European Union implemented by 5 organizations from 4 European countries. LOFT aims to support small-scale local food producers by improving their digitalization processes and building economic capacities through innovative digital tools. LOFT also aims to raise awareness of relevant stakeholders, including local food consumers and local food chain governing bodies. LOFT idea was born out of the need to “support and professionally train stakeholders of local food production and consumption activities and make them aware of the legal context of their activities”
Food security and food safety issues are becoming increasingly important in a digitized and modernized world, where the traditional agricultural population is declining due to urbanization and the world population is growing further. There are some innovative solutions to complement traditional industrial food production, such as urban agriculture or smart agriculture. Moreover, some people living in urban or peri-urban areas are able to produce some of their own food through traditional gardening activities or innovative techniques such as vertical gardens, hydroponics, indoor farming, etc.
In addition to growing food for themselves, some people may choose to set up businesses producing local food for small local markets or for specific consumer groups. As these are for-profit economic activities and food production is a risk to human health, there are legal consequences if such activities are not managed on a legal basis.
The LOFT project aims to support small-scale local food producers by developing their digital skills and building economic capacities through digital marketing and food traceability features with digital tools. LOFT also aims to raise awareness of relevant stakeholders, including local food consumers and local governing bodies of such food production activities.
Target Groups:
The project has one main and two secondary target groups.
Main group: small-scale local food producers, entrepreneurs, urban/suburban farmers
Secondary groups: (a) local food consumers; (b) management and supervisory bodies on local food production and consumption.
LOFT Strategic Objectives
1. Develop a database to unlock the potential of Local Food Producers; build trust-based cooperation between local producers and consumers; and uncover opportunities for safe local food consumption;
2. Facilitate the digital transformation of Local Food Producers by developing their digital skills, which have become indispensable for the professional lives of producers and the daily lives of consumers;
3. Establish sustainable food circulation networks to serve as online marketplaces for local food actors, including Local Food Producers, consumers and local government authorities;
4. Creation of a digital and flexible vocational training tool that combines all previous objectives (LOFT Platform);
5. Create an informed public opinion on local food, food safety, labeling, climate change and food security, sustainable growth of the agri-food sector, etc;
To cover all the strategc objectives above; The LOFT work plan contains 5 core work packages:
1. LOFT Database: A unique field analysis on 3 strategic objectives;
- Mapping the current situation of local food production and consumption;
- Identification of the specific training needs of two main target groups (local producers, potential local consumers) as well as the views of local decision makers (managing actors) for the sustainability of the project results;
- Compilation of “good practices”;
2. LOFT Training Method: A vocational training method and complementary tools for small-scale local food producers aiming to improve their digital skills such as digital traceability of food, QR code technology, digital marketing;
3. LOFT Consumer Map: Creation of the LOFT network, which will be an institutional innovation hub to bridge the gap between local producers and other key stakeholders in the local food sector;
4. LOFT Digital Platform: A digital, practical and sustainable interface that will contribute to the “EU policy of using the potential of digital technologies for teaching and learning” by digitally connecting all the outputs of the project with the target groups.
5. Dissemination and Awareness Rising Activities
Our project
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