REACT EU-Project Data Value Center Agri & Food Short Chain
The REACT EU project Data Value Center Agri & Food Short Chain has received a positive decision and can start with the development and realization of a Data Value Center Agri & Food short chain (DVC). After completion of the project, DVC will run as an independent company on the income generated by orders from (SME) companies, knowledge institutions and governments. The initiators of DVC Agri & Food Short Chain are Voedsel Verbindt and Big Data Value Center.
The DVC offers entrepreneurs in the Agri & Food short chain the digital environment, tools and services to collect, share and valorize data. In addition to free basic services such as education and awareness, these include paid services in the areas of training and education, advice and support on data issues and setting up collaborations, new business concepts and products. It also has facilities for data storage, data processing and data analysis.
Currently, the short food chain lacks the digital environment, tools and skills to properly collect, share and valorize data. As a result, opportunities for growth and development are missed. This involves better understanding of supply and demand, supply and smart use of data and digitalization in marketing. As a result, these companies are missing great commercial opportunities and to reduce food waste.
The DVC is going to provide the solution to this. It will contribute to increasing the food supply through short food chains. The latter is an explicit goal of the policy of LNV, the provinces of Flevoland and North Holland and the national Short Chain Task Force. Data is a prominent line of action in this, as it is seen as an important key to success.
During the project period, the DVC focuses on SME chain companies from the Agri & Food sector in Flevoland, North Holland and the Amsterdam Metropolitan Region. Thereafter, the geographical area of operation will be expanded to South Holland, Utrecht and Gelderland, where there is already considerable interest, and then to the whole of the Netherlands.
The project will be realized by a partnership of experienced professionals in the field of short food chain/regional food supply and ICT/data applications. These are 6 parties with a large network of (SME) companies, knowledge institutions and civil society organizations involved in the project. The project partners, Food Connects, BDVC, Amped, Quant Base, FoodNed and Inzights are investing in the development of the DVC because they see a lot of future in it.