Climate change, geopolitical instability, and market volatility are converging to threaten the stability of Europe’s food supply. From war in Ukraine to extreme weather and global pandemics, recent shocks have exposed the vulnerabilities of food systems once thought secure. Today’s food security is not just about production levels – it hinges on resilience, coordination, and the ability to anticipate threats before they escalate.
Against this backdrop, the SecureFood project has been launched as part of the EU’s Horizon Europe programme. With €8 million in funding and a diverse consortium of partners, SecureFood is building a digital and collaborative infrastructure to help Europe anticipate and manage future disruptions. The project is developing integrated tools and frameworks that can provide early warnings, simulate crisis scenarios, and support evidence-based policy responses across the agri-food landscape.
From reactive to proactive food security
At the heart of SecureFood is a shift in philosophy: instead of waiting for food system shocks to unfold and then responding, the project is designed to make prediction and preparedness the new standard. Its digital ecosystem is intended to offer practical, scalable models for decision-makers, from national governments to food producers and distributors.
One of SecureFood’s priorities is to embed predictive capacity directly into the supply chain. The use of artificial intelligence and advanced analytics is central to this effort. Algorithms trained on diverse data sources – including weather trends, commodity markets, transportation logistics, and even social or geopolitical indicators – can help forecast risks before they manifest. This form of anticipatory analysis enables timely intervention, ensuring that supplies remain stable and disruptions are minimized.
A suite of digital tools to strengthen resilience
In the face of climate disruptions, supply chain interferences, and geopolitical tensions, external factors continue to put severe pressure on Europe’s food systems. SecureFood’s digital tools, which function as enablers and facilitators on various aspects of food system security, have been designed not just to respond to crises, but to anticipate them.
As opposed to tools that function in isolation, SecureFood’s tools represent a veritable ecosystem that connects and brings together data, simulations, and policy support. The project’s data observatory, for example, continuously monitors risks across the food supply chain and raises early warning signs before they escalate. In tandem, a digital twin-driven smart supply chain helps simulate the ripple effects of potential disruptions, enabling decision-makers to test different responses in a virtual environment.
Meanwhile, the Agricultural Policy Simulator (AgriPoliS) is being designed to evaluate how different policy interventions might play out across regions and over time, offering key insights into both their short-term impacts and long-term consequences.
When operating together, SecureFood’s nine digital tools will help to support a process that is better prepared , coordinated , and able to recover quicker when food systems are put to the test.
An integrated, systems-thinking approach
SecureFood is built on the understanding that food systems are complex, interconnected networks. A failure in one area – whether drought in a major producing region or cyberattacks on logistics infrastructure – can cascade through the entire chain. The project therefore applies a systems-thinking methodology, mapping the interactions between producers, processors, distributors, and consumers, and addressing vulnerabilities at multiple points simultaneously.
This approach is anchored by the Food Systems Resilience Management Framework, a tool designed to help stakeholders monitor, anticipate, and adapt to change. Rather than applying a one-size-fits-all model, the framework is flexible and can be tailored to local needs. In water-stressed regions, for instance, the focus might be on irrigation and drought resilience; in areas vulnerable to conflict or market disruptions, it might prioritize diversification of suppliers or trade routes.
Alongside this, the Resilience Governance Framework establishes the rules and procedures for collaboration across the value chain. It outlines how stakeholders – public bodies, private companies, civil society – can coordinate, share information, and align their efforts. Its purpose is not just technical integration, but also institutional cooperation: ensuring that food security strategies are understood and supported by all actors involved.
A practical example of this governance approach could be joint initiatives to tackle food loss and waste. With input from farmers, retailers, and consumers, SecureFood can help pinpoint where waste occurs – whether from overproduction, inefficient distribution, or consumer habits – and design shared responses that cut losses and improve availability.
Case studies: co-developing solutions in real contexts
To test and refine its methods, SecureFood is embedding its tools into four case studies, each focused on a different supply chain and regional context. These field trials serve as collaborative hubs, where technical experts and local stakeholders work together to apply, evaluate, and adjust the solutions.
- Ukraine – Grain: Russia’s war has severely disrupted Ukraine’s grain exports, placing global food security under pressure. SecureFood is working with Ukrainian producers, transport operators, and consumers to map bottlenecks, simulate transport alternatives, and test tools that can stabilize prices and secure flows in volatile conditions.
- Portugal – Fruits and Vegetables: Climate variability, pest outbreaks, and post-harvest waste have placed strain on Portugal’s fruit and vegetable supply chains. SecureFood is collaborating with producers and retailers to track risks, optimize logistics, and ensure that perishable goods reach consumers even in high-stress periods.
- Greece and Belgium – Fish and Aquaculture: These sectors are sensitive to marine pollution, temperature changes, and cold-chain logistics. SecureFood’s tools help monitor ecological conditions, improve traceability, and streamline transport, strengthening the sector’s ability to adapt to both environmental and economic shocks.
- Greece and Finland – Milk and Dairy: In these climatically distinct regions, SecureFood is testing how digital twins and governance models can protect cold chains, minimize waste, and support continuity. Real-world simulations will test the system’s response to fluctuating conditions and logistical constraints.
Cooperation and trust at every level
Because food systems depend on coordinated action, SecureFood has made stakeholder engagement a priority. The project’s Extended Stakeholder Group (ESG) includes representatives from agriculture, industry, policy, and research. Through regular exchanges – workshops, consultations, and feedback loops – this group ensures that SecureFood’s tools reflect real needs and can be adopted effectively.
Knowledge-sharing and capacity building are built into the project design. By offering training on topics such as sustainable farming, logistics optimization, or risk modeling, SecureFood helps ensure that all actors – from local producers to national agencies – are equipped to implement the resilience strategies being developed. Crucially, this is not a one-way process – local expertise is integrated into the tools, making them more practical and regionally grounded.
Transparency and traceability are also core to SecureFood’s approach. With blockchain-enabled platforms and verifiable data systems, the project fosters a culture of accountability where decisions are based on shared information and verification is built into the infrastructure. Whether addressing contamination, fraud, or market manipulation, this transparency builds confidence in the food system from farm to fork.
A foundation for long-term sustainability
The overarching vision of the SecureFood project is to weave long-term sustainability into the very fabric of Europe’s systems. This effort is guided by the Food Systems Resilience Management Framework, a structured methodology that enables stakeholders to assess vulnerabilities, monitor risks, and design tailored resilience strategies over time. With this framework, SecureFood’s ambition is to support sustainability that is long-term in outlook by encouraging proactive planning rather than responses that are simply reactive, while also recognising that need for continuous adaptation in the face of myriad global challenges.
By embedding digital innovation, collaborative governance, and risk-informed planning into the European food system, SecureFood is creating a toolkit for crisis response and laying a foundation for a sustainable food future that can evolve with the challenges of the years and decades ahead.
Building a food system for an uncertain future
SecureFood offers a roadmap in an uncertain era for how Europe, and indeed the world, can shift from a system of fragile supply and food chains to one that is stable and future-ready. Through the amalgamation of cutting-edge digital tools, cross-sector collaboration, and regionally grounded case studies, SecureFood is working to develop a data-driven practice that will transform the way we think about and react to food security.
The strength of a project like SecureFood lies not only in the technology that it develops, but in the vision that it puts forward: a system where early warning signals are acted upon, disruptions can be modelled and resolved before they cause harm, and where decisions are made transparently and collaboratively. As the project continues to evolve, it is equipping stakeholders at every level with the tools and insights that they need to build resilience that is long-sighted and lasting.
In doing so, SecureFood will lay the essential groundwork for and protect a food system that is not only secure, but sustainable, inclusive, and capable of withstanding whatever challenges lie ahead.
***
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 101136583.
Article Source:
Press Release/Material by Benjamin Moore | SecureFood
Featured image credit: Ali Akdemir | Pexels
Disclaimer:
The use of brand names and/or any mention or listing of specific commercial products or services herein is solely for educational purposes and does not imply endorsement by Muser Press or our partners, nor discrimination against similar brands, products or services not mentioned.
