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Call: Thematic Area 3 Food value chain in the Nexus

TOPIC: 1.3.1 (IA) –2025 Transforming Mediterranean Food Systems: Empowering Consumers for Sustainable Diets

TYPE OF ACTION: (IA) Innovation and Action

TOTAL INDICATIVE AMOUNT ALLOCATED TO THIS CALL:EUR 10.8 million

OPENING DATE: 8 April, 2024

DEADLINE:

15 July 2025 (17:00h Central European Time (CET)

STATUS: Open

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Expected Outcome:

Contributing to the European Green Deal priorities, the Farm-to-Fork Strategy for a fair, healthy, and environmentally friendly food system, and the EU’s climate goals for 2030 and 2050, this approach emphasizes initiatives that introduce the Mediterranean diet and organic products in schools, aiming to instill healthy eating habits in children from a young age. The strategy should integrate innovative technologies and methods to boost consumer awareness and engagement through educational campaigns. Key components include leveraging existing initiatives and digital tools, promoting policy dialogue, and fostering partnerships between consumers and researchers. Focusing on social innovation and consumer behaviour, participatory methods such as living labs are essential for facilitating meaningful and sustainable dietary shifts.

The project is expected to achieve the following outcomes:

  • Proposals should aim to demonstrate and implement innovative approaches that enhance the adoption of the Mediterranean diet across diverse age groups, such as children, adults, and older adults. Applicants are encouraged to select one or more of these demographics, promoting healthy eating habits in children through school-based programs, raising awareness among adults through community and workplace initiatives, and offering personalized dietary support for older adults.
  • Proposals must incorporate cutting-edge educational campaigns, engagement strategies, and digital tools that deepen consumer understanding and participation in sustainable food systems. Additionally, proposals should address policy innovation by promoting tailored policy frameworks at EU, national, and regional levels, with a focus on using public food procurement as a strategic lever to drive demand for sustainable foods.
  • As an Innovation Action, proposals should also deliver evidence-based recommendations, actively engage stakeholders, and establish monitoring mechanisms. This will support the development and deployment of effective policies that drive the widespread and sustainable adoption of the Mediterranean diet, ultimately contributing to PRIMA’s broader objectives.

Scope:

This topic aims to accelerate the adoption of innovations from PRIMA, Horizon 2020, and Horizon Europe projects to promote the Mediterranean diet, celebrated for its focus on plant-based, fresh, seasonal, and locally sourced foods. Renowned for its health benefits and environmental sustainability, the Mediterranean diet also holds cultural importance, recognized by UNESCO as both a nutritious eating pattern and valuable cultural heritage.

However, adherence to the Mediterranean diet is waning due to urbanization and lifestyle changes. Increasingly, people are opting for ultra-processed and pre-packaged foods, reducing cooking time but negatively impacting health and environmental sustainability. To address this, the initiative seeks to blend modern innovations with traditional food heritage, empowering consumers to make sustainable, informed choices.

The strategy includes educational campaigns and engagement activities that leverage existing projects, enhancing transparency and trust in the food system. By targeting specific demographics, the initiative aims to support dietary practices tailored to different needs, fostering sustainable adoption across communities. To reinforce this, the concept of local farming and the role of farmers in supplying fresh, locally sourced foods—a foundation of the Mediterranean diet—should be integral to this proposal. Emphasizing local food systems strengthens sustainable dietary practices by reconnecting consumers with producers, enhancing the accessibility and appeal of the Mediterranean diet, and making it easier for individuals to adopt this healthy, eco-friendly lifestyle.

Proposed activities should cover the following aspects:

  • Encourage the development and adoption of sustainable, healthy, and preferably organic food products that align with dietary guidelines, taking into account consumer preferences and nutritional needs, to reinforce adherence to the Mediterranean diet.
  • Implement hands-on training using virtual reality and gamification to educate different demographic groups on the benefits of the Mediterranean diet.
  • Leverage digital resources from PRIMA, Horizon 2020, and Horizon Europe to build community-driven learning experiences. Tailor these initiatives to specific demographics—children, teenagers, adults, families, and the elderly—to maximize impact and promote sustainable dietary habits. 
  • Foster partnerships between consumers and researchers to develop innovative, personalized food solutions. Examples include AI-driven mobile apps that support sustainable food choices and provide data-driven dietary insights tailored to individual needs. 
  • Promote co-creation of adaptable frameworks that support the Mediterranean diet and sustainable food systems. Tailor policy recommendations to reflect dietary habits and preferences across different demographic segments, ensuring relevance and feasibility.
  • Embed Mediterranean diet principles into public food procurement through pilot programs that support local economies, environmental sustainability, and nutritional quality. Customize these programs for various age groups, gather feedback, and scale effective practices to inform adaptable policy development. 26

Applicants should actively implement a Multi-Actor Approach (MAA), such as living labs, to bring together consumers, farmers, and experts to co-develop sustainable food practices. Living labs will deepen consumer understanding of local food sources, provide education, products should blend traditional Mediterranean ingredients with innovative elements to enhance flavor and nutrition, supporting adherence to the Mediterranean diet.

Proposals should include dedicated tasks, sufficient resources, and collaborative plans with other PRIMA-funded initiatives to foster cross-project cooperation, consultations, and joint activities. PRIMA encourages synergies with other PRIMA, Horizon Europe, and European Partnerships projects—such as the European Partnership on Sustainable Food Systems for People, Planet, and Climate (FutureFoodS) and Agroecology—to maximize collective impact in promoting sustainable dietary practices and transforming Mediterranean food systems.

Call Documents and Templates

Adopted Annual Work Programme 2025

Guidelines for Applicants Section 1 

Budget Template– Section 1 

KPI Handbook

Electronic Submission System Handbook

Proposal Template Part I

Proposal Template Part II

Call text Topic 1.3.1 –2025 Food Value Chain in The Nexus

For questions related to this call for proposals, please contact Nur Eda Demir – [email protected])

 
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