Within the framework of the AGFORISE Project which aims to build AgroFood clusters platform with common long-term Research and Innovation Strategy towards Economic growth and prosperity in Turkey, Italy and Spain an info day organized in Mersin and a project call published on February 2011.
ALATA Research Institute hosted an info day in its premises on funding opportunities on agro-food research fields in 7th Framework Programme. Info day started with the welcome speech of Şekip Keser, manager of ALATA Research Institute.Nihan Eryılmaz, food, agriculture, fisheries and biotechnology specialist of TUBITAK (FP7 National Contact Point), informed participants about R&D funds and opportunities to participate in European projects. Türker Dölekoğlu from Çukurova Development Agency, which is a regional development agency, talked about the the support system of Çukurova Development Agency and funding fields and project types to be funded.
Leyla Arsan, the CEO of TAGES, as being a partner in the AGFORISE project, also made a presentation in the event and informed the participants about objectives of AGFORISE Project and what the partners from 3 regions have done so far to contribute to the agro-food sector. . Enterprise Europe Network Mediterranean (EEN-MED) opened a stand and distributed booklet which were prepared to give information about the services of EEN-MED for SMEs to increase their competitiveness.
AGFORISE Project Takes Turkish Researchers to Brokerage Event in Spain
At the end of the day, Dr. Davut Keleş, from ALATA Research Institute, informed participant researchers about the project call of AGFORISE Project which aims to build a European Knowledge Based Bio-Economy by bringing together science, industry and other stakeholders, to exploit new and emerging research opportunities that address social, environmental and economic challenges. Dr Keleş stated that this call would be oriented to give a response to the growing demand for safer, healthier, higher quality food and for sustainable use and production of renewable bio-resources; threats to the sustainability and security of agricultural production; and the increasing demand for high quality food and response to specific dietary needs of consumers. Therefore the objective of AGFORISE Call for Proposals is announced to be enhancing the cross collaborations promoting the building of international partnerships among the three participant regions (Mersin, Emilia Romagna and Murcia) with the aim of being prepared to send excellent proposals to the next KBBE call 7 FP 2012. The call is published as the same in allregions: Mersin, Emilia Romagna and Murcia.
Dr. Keleş informed the researchers about the topics of this call, which are;
Topic 1: Food processing: Automation in food packaging systems.
Topic 2: Environmental impacts and total food chain: Quantification of food waste.
Topic 3: Food processing: Processing and distribution of personalised foods.
Topic 4: Fork to farm: Food (including seafood), health and well being: Area 2.2.1 Consumers: Development and application of new tools to implement food-related policies in Europe
Topic 5: Socio-Economic research and support to policies: Short chain delivery of food for urban-peri-urban areas
Topic 6: Reducing post-harvest losses for increased food security
Topic 7: Integrated approach to studying effects of combined biotic and abiotic stress in crop plants
The proposals should be sent, before the 31 March 2011, to each regional AGFORISE Call for Proposals leader:
Mersin: Ahmet Zahterogullari. azahterogullari@mersinozelidare.gov.tr
Emilia Romagna: Leda Bologni. leda.bologni@aster.it
Murcia: Angel Martínez: angel@ctnc.es
As a result of the evaluation, 15 researchers (5 per region) will be selected by the Evaluation Committee among those proposals with the highest scores and with the highest possibility to become an excellent FP7 project proposal. Projects selected in Italy and Turkey will get a travel grant to the AGFORISE Brokerage Event organized in Murcia Spain 24 and 25 October 2011 under the umbrella of the Murcia Food Brokerage Event.
If you have project ideas which are in accordance with the above topics you should connect with the regional leaders as mentioned above.
