European food systems are facing significant environmental, social, and economic challenges. Despite ongoing efforts to address these challenges, the post-harvest phase – including first handling, processing, storage, transport, distribution, and waste management – has so far remained insufficiently considered, despite its substantial contribution to food losses, resource inefficiencies, and social inequalities.

Against this background, the TrueFoodS project, funded under the European FutureFoodS Partnership, aims to make Europe’s post-harvest systems more sustainable, equitable, and resilient. The project brings together 13 partners from nine countries and adopts an integrated Food Systems Approach that considers environmental, economic, social, and regulatory dimensions. 

Project Objectives

TrueFoodS addresses key structural challenges in European post-harvest systems, pursuing the following objectives in particular:

• Developing recommendations to strengthen the integration of the post-harvest phase within legal and policy frameworks
• Designing circular strategies to reduce food losses and environmental impacts
• Strengthening the capacities of small and medium-sized enterprises through targeted measures and inclusive business models
• Developing a governance framework for adaptive and resilient post-harvest systems
• Co-creating practical solutions in collaboration with municipalities, businesses, and civil society actors 

Ecologic Institute in TrueFoodS

Ecologic Institute is leading Work Package 3, which focuses on analysing the legal and policy frameworks shaping the post-harvest phase in Europe, with particular attention given to the CAP Strategic Plans of the consortium countries. The work combines the legal expertise of the AgLaw Research Group at Sculoa Superiore Sant'Anna with the policy expertise of Ecologic Institute. The objective is to assess the extent to which the post-harvest phase is currently addressed and supported, identify regulatory gaps and inconsistencies, and develop targeted guidance and recommendations to strengthen the integration and coherence of post-harvest considerations within legal and policy frameworks to ensure more effective support across the value chain.