PLENTY - a Centre for a Symbiotic and Circular Food Provisioning

Our society is exposed to a chronic environmental crisis, and is vulnerable to sanitary and socio-political emergencies.

This points out the need for resilient and sustainable food systems that are efficient to provide healthy and safe food.

One limiting factor contributing to unsustainability and lack of competitiveness and preparedness is the inefficient use of resources, losses and waste, leading to resource depletion and environmental vulnerability.

Despite abundant side streams and waste, these resources are underutilized, representing a missed opportunity for circularity and food security.

Challenges include technological limitations, supply chain complexities, ethical and health concerns, and societal attitudes.

PLENTY - a Centre for a Symbiotic and Circular Food Provisioning will provide knowledge, tools, and solutions to optimize resource use and to valorise side streams and waste from the food system and related sectors (i.e. municipal and industrial waste) into inputs for food production and new food products with increased sustainability and nutritional value.

PLENTY takes a holistic view by integrating technology development and systemic approaches to create symbiotic circular material and energy flows, considering societal issues and consumer acceptance in different crisis scenarios, and fostering innovation management (including policies, regulations, and business models), resulting in resilient and competitive food production approaches for food preparedness.