The first Stakeholder Board workshop of the TITAN project took place online on June 6th, attracting over 50 participants. The primary objective of the TITAN project is to establish an EU Hub, functioning as a center of expertise and the initial point of contact for promoting and facilitating systemic solutions related to transparency.
During the workshop, stakeholders representing diverse areas of expertise engaged in breakout sessions, collaborating with Workpackage Leaders to discuss the development of pilot projects and addressing challenges crucial to their success. Key challenges identified include different approaches to food transparency, specific issues faced by stakeholders, trust in digital technologies, and cultural differences within stakeholder networks.
Key discussions within the individual Workpackages shed light on specific concerns:
WP3 (Digital technologies): Interopability emerged as a significant obstacle, emphasizing the need for careful handling of ontologies. The workshop laid the foundation for future synergies in this regard.
WP4 (Pilots for food safety): The challenge faced by this workpackage revolves around sourcing suitable samples for analysis, ensuring traceability, and effectively implementing artificial intelligence.
WP5 (Pilots for sustainability): Stakeholders highlighted the dependence of all pilot projects on collaboration with external entities, raising concerns about potential difficulties in adopting digital technologies and limited interest. Simplification of data entry processes emerged as a critical requirement.
WP6 (Pilots for health): The workshop sparked an intense discussion on how to engage consumers qualitatively and quantitatively in all pilot projects. Participants expressed particular interest in nutrition components, labels, and QR codes as integral aspects of the living labs.
WP7 (Enabling policy solutions for transparent food supply chains): A key concern raised during discussions was how to precisely define the target audience for policy briefings, ensuring the effective dissemination of information.
The inaugural TITAN Stakeholder Board workshop proved to be a resounding success, paving the way for the development of the Network of Expertise. With active participation from over 50 stakeholders, the workshop fostered productive conversations around transparency and systemic solutions. As the project progresses, the Stakeholder Board will continue to grow, incorporating experts from various fields related to transparency, sustainability, new digital technologies, and the food system approach.
To join the Stakeholder Board, please fill out the registration form here.
