SALSA · Knowledge-based Sustainable vAlue-added food chains: innovative tooLs for monitoring ethical, environmental and Socio-economical impActs and implementing Eu-Latin America shared strategies

According to bilateral Eu-Latin America cooperation agreements, there is a mutual interest in developing strategies to tackle Latin American eco-challenges by promoting social cohesion, economic development, and improving food SMEs markets access. SALSA defines an integrated strategy for reducing negative socio-economic and environmental impact of soya bean and beef chains. The rationale is that these productions influence Latin America eco-challenges, reduction in food security and exclusion of SMEs and smaller farmers from market. SALSA belief is that sustainable competitiveness derives from multi-facet determinants that need to be jointly considered to reach a grass root development. The adoption of guidelines for sustainable agro-food productions is constrained by the lack of: i) technical and managerial solutions able to lower costs and cultural barriers for small farmers and SMEs; ii) research and training supporting new knowledge transfer among the food chain stakeholders and research institutions; iii) consumers and policy makers awareness. SALSA aims at developing monitoring tools based on a Life Cycle thinking approach suitable for integrating ethical, environmental and socio-economical impacts in one consistent model. SALSA provides sustainable solutions (strategies and processes) suitable to support farmers and SMEs relations within entire food chains. Shared benefits for end-users will derive from an increased efficiency of knowledge-based sustainable food production and management: fairer food chain relations, higher incomes, safer and better quality food, reduced environmental burden. SALSA added value relies on strengthening the EU- Latin America cooperation between leading institutions and industries; a joint EU-Latin America Industrial Platform will exploit the results. Guidelines will be produced for the benefits of food chain stakeholders and policy makers to improve food production sustainability and EU-Latin America trade relations.