project - Research and innovation

REALISING DYNAMIC VALUE CHAINS FOR UNDERUTILISED CROPS
CRIAÇÃO DE CADEIAS DE VALOR DINÂMICAS PARA VARIEDADES TRADICIONAIS

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Ongoing | 2021 - 2025 Portugal
Ongoing | 2021 - 2025 Portugal
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Kontext

In the last century, 75% of crop genetic diversity has been lost. Out of 259,000 plant species, only 50,000 are edible, with 150-200 consumed, and just three (maize, rice, and wheat) provide 60% of human dietary calories and nutrition. A few crops, including maize, potato, soybean, and wheat, occupy the largest percentage of agricultural land.
The EU Agricultural Outlook Report predicts that consumer and environmental concerns will push EU farmers to promote plant diversity. This is crucial for food, nutrition, and economic security, especially for small farmers in rural areas. The majority of EU farms (10.5 million) are family-owned and small-scale, offering an opportunity for diverse production systems and a rising demand for local, organic, and GM-free products.
However, challenges persist. Smallholder farmers lack producer-consumer links, access to incentives, and locally adapted seeds and machinery. The dominance of monoculture and industrialized agriculture with hybrid seeds and agrochemicals further reduces crop diversity and limits the foods available to Europeans.
To address these issues, profound system-wide changes are necessary, including tackling social, economic, technological, and institutional lock-ins. Transforming value chain governance can lead to diverse crop varieties tailored to local food systems. The EU's Farm to Fork Strategy aims to enhance the resilience of the food system in the face of crises, population growth, and natural disasters. This necessitates moving towards more biodiverse and dynamic value chains.


 

Additional information

The project will encompass the organisation of workshops that will adopt a participatory research approach. They will be open invitation events and will take place for 1.5 days, locally organized at the AURORA Farms that represent different geographies and dynamic value chain options. The workshops will be essential hubs upon which RADIANT will build regional or national UC networks, and achieve a transdisciplinary engagement at the farm-consumer and science-stakeholder crossroads. In particular, the workshops will enable a co-constructed and shared understanding and knowledge extraction process on the value of UCs through: identifying best breeding and agronomy practices; determining valuation methods for UCs; participatory development and review of methodology
for mapping and assessment of ecosystems and their services; develop and testing new marketing channels and the RADIANT-Metrics; farmer- and consumer-preference studies; policy review, analysis and co-creation; formulation and validation of the user-friendly DSS model; dissemination. Partners will attend the workshop for their region alongside invited stakeholders and open invitations respondents. The information presented and collated during each workshop is available as Open Access online resources on the project website, alongside formal workshop reports.

Project details
Main funding source
Horizon 2020 (EU Research and Innovation Programme)
Horizon Project Type
Multi-actor project

€ 5,999,715.00

Total budget

Total contributions including EU funding.

Ressourcen

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10 Practice Abstracts

"To gain insights into Porto's local food system, two questionnaires were administered to different groups: consumers (via an online questionnaire) and vendors in local markets within the district. The vendor questionnaire aimed to assess their perception of traditional crop varieties and the impact of tourism on trends. 20 vendors from four markets participated, primarily relying on four main suppliers, with 15% exclusively sourcing Portuguese products. Seasonal availability and price were key challenges in achieving a 100% Portuguese supply.
Regarding consumers, 1032 responses were collected, with 60.4% using both supermarkets and local markets for food procurement. Nutritional quality and sustainability were significant factors influencing their choice of local varieties. 13% expressed interest in exploring local gastronomy while traveling.
Implementing knowledge from the questionnaires can benefit practitioners in several ways: focusing on quality and sustainability, tapping into the tourist market, providing diverse seasonal products, establishing partnerships with local suppliers, adapting to consumer preferences, and considering cost and pricing strategies.
Overall, by addressing these aspects, farmers and vendors can better cater to consumer needs, promote the local food economy, and create a thriving market in Porto."
 

"Para obter informações sobre o sistema alimentar local do Porto, foram aplicados dois questionários a diferentes grupos: consumidores (através de um questionário online) e vendedores nos mercados locais do distrito. O questionário dos vendedores tinha como objetivo avaliar a sua perceção das variedades de culturas tradicionais e o impacto do turismo nas tendências. Participaram 20 vendedores de quatro mercados, que dependem maioritariamente de quatro fornecedores principais, com 15% a abastecerem-se exclusivamente de produtos portugueses. A disponibilidade sazonal e o preço foram os principais desafios para conseguir um abastecimento 100% português.
Relativamente aos consumidores, foram recolhidas 1032 respostas, sendo que 60,4% utilizam tanto os supermercados como os mercados locais para a aquisição de alimentos. A qualidade nutricional e a sustentabilidade foram factores significativos que influenciaram a sua escolha de variedades locais. 13% manifestaram interesse em explorar a gastronomia local quando viajam.
A aplicação dos conhecimentos adquiridos através dos questionários pode beneficiar os profissionais de várias formas: centrando-se na qualidade e na sustentabilidade, explorando o mercado turístico, fornecendo produtos sazonais diversificados, estabelecendo parcerias com fornecedores locais, adaptando-se às preferências dos consumidores e considerando estratégias de custos e preços.
De um modo geral, ao abordar estes aspectos, os agricultores e vendedores podem responder melhor às necessidades dos consumidores, promover a economia alimentar local e criar um mercado próspero no Porto."
 

Spiny chicory (Cichorium spinosum L.), is one of those wild edible plants that has been gaining attention in the Mediterranean basin, due to its unique taste and richness in health-promoting compounds. In Greece, ‘stamnagathi’ is mainly grown in Crete, where different ecotypes have been introduced to commercial cultivation, both in soil and soilless culture systems. In this work was assessed the interaction of different EC levels (2.4 vs. 3.6 dS/m)) and K:Ca:Mg (40:50:10 vs. 50:40:10) ratios on the growth and nutritional value of Cichorium spinosum L. cultivated in a hydroponic floating-raft system. According to the main findings, the different EC levels and K:Ca:Mg ratios did not affect biomass characteristics of spiny chicory. Furthermore, the low EC level (2.4 ds/m) decreased K and NO3-N content by 10% & 23%, respectively. Although, both EC levels produced a plant with safe for consumption nitrate levels. On the other hand, greater Mn & Zn concentrations were observed in high EC treated plants. Concerning the different macronutrient ratios, the higher K/Ca ratio decreased the Ca concentration in plant biomass by 28%. Concluding, the different nutrient solutions supplied to the plants affected mainly the nutrient profile of spiny chicory rather than its growth rate. However, irrespective the different applied treatments, the total yield of the plants was relatively low. Therefore, we believe that there are still parameters that need to be considered to optimize the growth process of C. spinosum L. and help integrate it into highly productive commercial systems.
 

Το σταμναγκάθι αποτελεί ένα από τα αυτοφυή φυλλώδη λαχανικά που έχει κεντρίσει το ενδιαφέρον στην Μεσόγειο, λόγω της ιδιαίτερης γεύσης του και της υψηλής θρεπτικής του αξίας. Στην Ελλάδα, το σταμναγκάθι απαντάται κυρίως στην Κρήτη, όπου διαφορετικοί οικότυποι καλλιεργούνται σε εμπορική κλίμακα σε συστήματα εντός και εκτός εδάφους. Σε αυτήν την προσδιορίζεται η επίδραση των διαφορετικών επιπέδων ηλεκτρικής αγωγιμότητας (2,4 vs. 3,6 ds/m) και των διαφορετικών αναλογιών K:Ca:Mg (40:50:10 vs. 50:40:10) στην ανάπτυξη και την θρεπτική αξία του σταμναγκαθιού σε σύστημα επίπλευσης. Η ανάπτυξη του σταμναγκαθιού δεν επηρεάστηκε από κανέναν από τους 2 υπό μελέτη παράγοντες. Επιπλέον, τα χαμηλά επίπεδα αγωγιμότητας (2,4 ds/m) μείωσαν τα επίπεδα των K και NO3-N κατά 10% και 23%. Ωστόσο, τα νιτρικά στον φυλλικό ιστό κυμάνθηκαν σε ασφαλή για κατανάλωση επίπεδα και στις 2 διαφορετικές αγωγιμότητες. Αντίθετα, υψηλότερες συγκεντρώσεις Μn & Zn εντοπίσθηκαν στα φυτά που αναπτύχθηκαν κάτω από υψηλή αγωγιμότητα. Σχετικά με τις K:Ca:Mg διαφορετικές αναλογίες, υψηλότερός K/Ca λόγος μείωσε σημαντικά τα επίπεδα του Ca στον ξηρό φυτικό ιστό του σταμναγκαθιού κατά 28%. Συμπερασματικά, η χορήγηση θρεπτικών διαλυμάτων διαφορετικής σύστασης επηρέασε κυρίως την θρεπτική αξία παρά την παραγωγή του σταμναγκαθιού. Ωστόσο, ανεξάρτητα από τις διαφορετικές μεταχειρίσεις, η παραγωγή κυμάνθηκε σε σχετικά χαμηλά επίπεδα. Επομένως, υπάρχουν ακόμα παράγοντες που πρέπει να ληφθούν υπόψιν για την ανάδειξη εμπορικών συστημάτων καλλιέργειας σταμναγκαθιού υψηλών αποδόσεων.
 

Valerianella locusta L. is a leafy vegetable commonly used nowadays in fresh-cut salads and salad mixes due to its leaves’ mild and delicate taste, and overall dietary characteristics and rich bioactive compound content. Floating irrigation system (FL) has been widely applied for the cultivation of leafy vegetables that allows for high sanitary quality and harvesting of clean materials for vegetables that are cultivated for fresh-cut-salads. In addition, in FL systems the nitrate content can be manipulated to a certain degree through the nutrient solution and be kept under certain thresholds. Besides, NaCl and CaCl2 interfere in the NO3 uptake mechanisms through Cl, and could therefore be utilized as measures to reduce the nitrate content in leaf tissues. This study focused on the effects of four salinity treatments differing in the osmotic potential level (−0.097 and −0.195 MPa at 20 °C, referred to as low and high salinity level) and the salinity source (NaCl vs CaCl2) on growth and mineral composition of hydroponically grown Valerianella locusta cv “Elixir”. NaCl had a less severe effect on the agronomical characteristics of corn salad compared to the calcium chloride, suggesting that the type of salt had a significant effect over the osmotic potential. Nitrate concentration was also reduced more under CaCl2 eustress, which was attributed to the antagonistic relations of nitrate and chloride. Leaf sodium, calcium and chloride content appeared increased in relation to their concentration in the treatment’s NSs. Concluding, low water quality, containing up to 20mM NaCl, could be utilized for the hydroponic cultivation of corn salad and when eustress is considered, NaCl should be the salt of choice rather than CaCl2.
 

Η βαλεριανέλλα (Valerianella locusta L.) είναι ένα φυλλώδες λαχανικό που χρησιμοποιείται ευρέως σε σαλάτες και μίγματα αυτών λόγω της ιδιαίτερης γεύσης και της υψηλής της διατροφικής αξίας. Το σύστημα επίπλευσης χρησιμοποιείται ευρέως για την υδροκαλλιέργεια φυλλωδών λαχανικών καθώς επιτρέπει την υψηλή ποιότητα υγιεινής και την παραγωγή καθαρού προϊόντος. Επιπλέον, σε αυτό το σύστημα είναι δυνατός ο έλεγχος, έως έναν βαθμό, των επιθυμητών επίπεδων των νιτρικών στο παραγόμενο προϊόν. Εξάλλου, τα NaCl και CaCl2 παρεμβαίνουν στην πρόσληψη των νιτρικών από τα φυτά, και επομένως μπορούν να χρησιμοποιηθούν ως ένα μέτρο για τον περιορισμό των επιπέδων των νιτρικών στα φυλλώδη. Το αντικείμενο της μελέτης είναι η επίδραση 4 επιπέδων αλατότητα που διαφέρουν ως προς το ωσμωτικό δυναμικό τους (−0.097 και −0.195 MPa στους 20 °C, χαμηλή και υψηλή αλατότητα, αντίστοιχα) και την πηγή της αλατότητας (NaCl vs CaCl2) στην ανάπτυξη και θρεπτική σύσταση της βαλεριανέλλας (“Elixir”) σε σύστημα επίπλευσης. Το NaCl είχε λιγότερης έντασης αρνητική επίδραση στην ανάπτυξη του φυτού σε σχέση με το CaCl2, υποδηλώνοντας πως ο το πηγή άλατος είχε υψηλότερη επίδραση από ότι το ωσμοτικό δυναμικό. Παράλληλα, τα επίπεδα των νιτρικών μειώθηκαν σημαντικά στα χαμηλά επίπεδα CaCl2, ενώ η συγκέντρωση των Na, Ca και Cl αυξανόταν αναλογικά με την αύξηση της των αντίστοιχων αλάτων στο θρεπτικό διάλυμα. Συμπερασματικά, νερό άρδευσης χαμηλής ποιότητας που δεν ξεπερνά τα 20 mmol NaCl, μπορεί να χρησιμοποιηθεί για την υδροκαλλιέργεια βαλεριανέλλας, ενώ για την επιτηδευμένη αύξηση της αλατότητας στοχεύοντας στην μείωση των νιτρικών στο παραγόμενο προϊόν προτείνεται το Nacl έναντι του CaCl2.
 

"The primary protein forage crop in Italy is alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), crucial for cattle feeding. However, current commercial varieties are not suitable for hilly/mountainous conditions. To enhance forage self-sufficiency, it is essential to identify local alfalfa ecotypes that adapt better to these regions.
The use of grain legumes, like Pisum sativum L., for feed in the Apennine area is limited due to low yields, harvesting challenges, and the required treatments. Air-dried whole plant legumes could be a viable option to improve forage self-sufficiency on mountain farms, especially when intercropped with other forage grasses. This intercropping enhances protein production and quality, providing multiple benefits. However, before introducing it, testing within a typical PR mountain crop rotation is necessary.
In the Apennine area, RADIANT aims to compare 12 alfalfa ecotypes sown under dry conditions and shallow soil to identify those best suited to the region. Additionally, a trial involving wheat (Triticum aestivum L sub. aestivum) and Pisum sativum arvense L. was sowed in a hilly area of Reggio Emilia province (561 m a.s.l) with tilled and no-tilled soils. The products were treated as forage and air-dried after harvest. Field measurements suggest that the ""no-tilled field"" exhibits higher canopy cover (30.3%) compared to conventional tillage (7.58%). Further field measurements are currently underway."
 

"La principale coltura foraggera proteica in Italia è l'erba medica (Medicago sativa L.), fondamentale per l'alimentazione dei bovini. Tuttavia, le attuali varietà commerciali non sono adatte alle condizioni collinari e montane. Per migliorare l'autosufficienza foraggera, è essenziale identificare ecotipi locali di erba medica che si adattino meglio a queste regioni.
L'uso di legumi da granella, come il Pisum sativum L., per l'alimentazione nell'area appenninica è limitato a causa delle basse rese, delle difficoltà di raccolta e dei trattamenti necessari. I legumi interi essiccati all'aria potrebbero essere un'opzione valida per migliorare l'autosufficienza foraggera delle aziende agricole di montagna, soprattutto se consociati con altre erbe da foraggio. Questa consociazione aumenta la produzione e la qualità delle proteine, offrendo molteplici benefici. Tuttavia, prima di introdurla, è necessario testarla all'interno di una tipica rotazione delle colture di montagna.
Nell'area appenninica, RADIANT intende confrontare 12 ecotipi di erba medica seminati in condizioni di siccità e suoli poco profondi per identificare quelli più adatti alla regione. Inoltre, in un'area collinare della provincia di Reggio Emilia (561 m s.l.m.) è stata condotta una prova su grano (Triticum aestivum L sub. aestivum) e Pisum sativum arvense L. con terreni lavorati e non lavorati. I prodotti sono stati trattati come foraggio ed essiccati all'aria dopo la raccolta. Le misurazioni sul campo indicano che il ""campo non lavorato"" presenta una maggiore copertura della chioma (30,3%) rispetto alla lavorazione convenzionale (7,58%). Ulteriori misurazioni sul campo sono attualmente in corso."
 

"The CRPA's Edible Park serves as a model for a versatile farm designed for peri-urban areas. It combines agroforestry and crop production for direct sale, aiming to integrate farming activity into the local socio-economic context. This innovative concept focuses on sustainable agroforestry systems to produce high-quality food products for local consumers while promoting societal engagement in farming and minimizing environmental impact.
The park embraces biodiversity through the cultivation of local and ancient crop varieties. It was established on a 1-hectare plot owned by the Reggio Emilia municipality, which can be replicated in other peri-urban areas. The park features 80 mulberry trees of five certified species/varieties, recreating the traditional rural landscape of the region. Additionally, horticultural crops are grown between the trees to supply fresh vegetables to the nearby town of Reggio Emilia.
To assess the possibility of establishing a short supply chain, the park developed vegetable soups and mulberry preserves, seeking feedback from consumers to gauge their acceptability.
Overall, the Edible Park meets the increasing demand from consumers for local, healthy, and environmentally friendly products. Moreover, by cultivating peri-urban agricultural land with valuable crops, the project addresses the issue of semi-abandoned areas and contributes to landscape improvement."
 

"L'Edible Park del CRPA è un modello di azienda agricola versatile progettato per le aree periurbane. Combina l'agroforestazione e la produzione di colture per la vendita diretta, con l'obiettivo di integrare l'attività agricola nel contesto socio-economico locale. Questo concetto innovativo si concentra su sistemi agroforestali sostenibili per produrre prodotti alimentari di alta qualità per i consumatori locali, promuovendo al contempo l'impegno della società nell'agricoltura e riducendo al minimo l'impatto ambientale.
Il parco abbraccia la biodiversità attraverso la coltivazione di varietà di colture locali e antiche. È stato realizzato su un terreno di 1 ettaro di proprietà del Comune di Reggio Emilia, che può essere replicato in altre aree periurbane. Il parco ospita 80 gelsi di cinque specie/varietà certificate, ricreando il paesaggio rurale tradizionale della regione. Inoltre, tra gli alberi vengono coltivate colture orticole per fornire ortaggi freschi alla vicina città di Reggio Emilia.
Per valutare la possibilità di creare una filiera corta, il parco ha sviluppato zuppe di verdure e conserve di gelso, cercando di ottenere un feedback dai consumatori per valutarne l'accettabilità.
Nel complesso, il Parco commestibile risponde alla crescente domanda dei consumatori di prodotti locali, sani e rispettosi dell'ambiente. Inoltre, coltivando terreni agricoli periurbani con colture pregiate, il progetto affronta il problema delle aree semi-abbandonate e contribuisce al miglioramento del paesaggio."
 

"Food supply chains are dealing with increasing food fraud challenges and consumer trust and their interest in knowing more about the food they eat. Traceability can ensure a product's follow-up through each stage of its life cycle and provides consumers more visibility and guarantees on the items they buy. Blockchain (BC) is a digital distributed ledger where data is saved into blocks linked together with cryptographic technologies.
In BC technology, transactions can be written to BC to create permanent and immutable records,  protected against subsequent manipulations. Each supply chain actor writes relevant data about the products in the chain of blocks. The producer receives a digital identity and enters the farm and field production data. Processing actors provide information about their entity, equipment, processing methods, and batch number. The distribution actor provides shipping details, storage conditions, and time in transit. As the producer or processing actor prepares the digital delivery docs, the retailer accepts the product by scanning the QR code, which signs the transaction and directly transfers the data to the store business management system. At the final stage, the mobile device enables the consumer to scan the product QR code and review the food traceability record on a screen. 
Interfaces and user interaction
The User interface is designed with a focus on end-users (farmers) and consumers who all mainly use mobile phones, but there is also a management part mainly used on desktop devices by store employees.
Conclusion
Blockchain can provide an efficient solution to the urgent need for improved food traceability and increase safety and transparency. "
 

"Dobavne verige za oskrbo s hrano se soočajo z vse večjimi izzivi kot so goljufije z živili, zaupanje potrošnikov in njihovim povečanim zanimanjem za informacije o zaužiti hrani. S sledljivostjo zagotovimo spremljanje izdelka skozi vse faze njegovega življenjskega cikla, kar potrošnikom zagotavlja večjo prepoznavnost in jamstvo za izdelke. Blockchain (BC) je digitalna distribuirana veriga, kjer se podatki shranijo v bloke, povezane s kriptografsko tehnologijo.
S tehnologijo BC se transakcije zapišejo v trajne in nesprejemljive zapise, ki so zaščiteni pred morebitnimi manipulacijami. Vsak akter dobavne verige vpiše ustrezne podatke o izdelkih v verigo blokov. Proizvajalec prejme digitalno identiteto in vnese podatke o proizvodnji na kmetiji. Predelovalci zagotavljajo informacije o svojem subjektu, opremi, načinih obdelave in številki serije. Distributor zagotavlja podrobnosti o prevozu, pogojih shranjevanja in čas v tranzitu. Ker proizvajalec ali predelovalec pripravita digitalne spremne dokumente, trgovec izdelek sprejme s skeniranjem QR kode, ki podpiše transakcijo in neposredno prenese podatke v sistem upravljanja poslovanja. V končni fazi mobilna naprava potrošniku omogoča skeniranje QR kode izdelka in pregled zapisa sledljivosti živila na zaslonu. 
Vmesniki in interakcija uporabnikov
Uporabniški vmesnik je zasnovan s poudarkom na končnih uporabnikih (kmetih) in potrošnikih, ki vsi večinoma uporabljajo mobilne telefone, obstaja pa tudi upravljalni del, ki ga zaposleni v trgovini uporabljajo predvsem na namiznih napravah. 
Sklep
Tehnologija veriženja blokov zagotavlja učinkovito rešitev za nujno potrebo po izboljšani sledljivosti hrane ter večji varnosti in preglednosti."
 

"Acorn is the fruit of the oaks, and the most used for consumption in Alentejo (Portugal) is the one from the native holm oak (Quercus rotundifolia), which is the sweetest.
Until the 20th century, acorn was an important part of the human diet in Portugal, but due to changes in rural population lifestyle and growing urbanisation, acorns consumption dropped abruptly. Since then, it has been used mostly for feed.
This product is slowly being re- introduced as niche activity by some agri-food companies. The products made with acorn represent a way to keep tradition alive and support sustainable systems.
Acorns nutritional composition depends on many factors, such as genetic variability, climatic conditions or soil composition. Nonetheless, it is known that, generally, they have high content in phytochemical compounds, which are responsible for their antioxidant, anticarcinogenic and cardioprotective properties. They are mainly composed by carbohydrates, especially starch, with significant amounts of lipids and low protein content. When compared to cereals, they are richer in fibre, fat and complex carbohydrates. The fact that they are gluten-free, makes them an excellent option for celiac people.
Aiming at the economic development of the sweet acorn, Freixo do Meio will: identify and map at local and regional level, sweet acorns trees; select sweet acorns to multiply with a Matrix of Acceptability Criteria (interviewing regional and local actors); promote vegetative reproduction of the selected trees; implement an Agroecological Orchard on the farm; and monitor, adapt and improve the associated agroecological practices."
 

"A bolota é o fruto dos carvalhos, e a mais utilizada para consumo no Alentejo (Portugal) é a da azinheira autóctone (Quercus rotundifolia), que é a mais doce. Até ao século XX, a bolota era uma parte importante da dieta humana em Portugal, mas devido às alterações no estilo de vida e à crescente urbanização, o seu consumo diminuiu abruptamente. Desde então, tem sido utilizada maioritariamente para alimentação animal. Ela está a ser lentamente reintroduzida por algumas empresas agro-alimentares, e os produtos fabricados com bolota representam uma forma de manter viva a tradição e apoiar sistemas sustentáveis. A composição nutricional da bolota depende de muitos fatores, como variabilidade genética, condições climáticas ou composição do solo. No entanto, sabe-se que, de um modo geral, estas têm um elevado teor de compostos fitoquímicos, responsáveis pelas suas propriedades antioxidantes, anticarcinogénicas e cardioprotectoras. São compostas principalmente por hidratos de carbono, especialmente amido, com quantidades significativas de lípidos e baixo teor de proteínas. Quando comparados com os cereais, são mais ricos em fibras, gorduras e hidratos de carbono complexos. O facto de não conterem glúten, torna-os uma excelente opção para as pessoas celíacas.
Visando o desenvolvimento económico da bolota doce, Freixo do Meio irá: identificar e mapear, a nível local e regional, as árvores de bolota; selecionar bolotas doces para multiplicar com uma Matriz de Critérios de Aceitabilidade (entrevistando actores regionais e locais); promover a reprodução vegetativa das árvores selecionadas; implementar um Pomar Agroecológico na exploração agrícola; e monitorizar, adaptar e melhorar as práticas agroecológicas associadas."
 

"Jujube, from the species Ziziphus jujuba has high nutritional and biological value, revealing potential to be included in different food formulations to improve nutritional quality. Various parts of the plant have been used, not only as food but also as Chinese traditional medicine. The fruit (peel and pulp) is the main source of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti- obesity, anticancer, hepato- protective, antidiabetic, anti-microbial and cardioprotective effects. When compared with the apple, the most similar fruit, it has more carbohydrates and more protein.
In the context of the RADIANT project, Freixo do Meio recognises the opportunity to trial, improve and promote, the diversification of underutilized fruit tree crops in the farm. Through the principles of agroecology and aiming an economic development for the jujube, we aim at the: identification and selection of the most suitable varieties of jujube trees to be cultivated; implementation of an Agroecological Orchard in the farm; adaptation and improvement of the agroecological practices. Through the usual commercial channels, on the summer of 2021, Freixo do Meio started to sell small quantities of fresh Jubuje fruits. The product was sold at 7 €/kg.
Freixo do Meio has several areas of orchards for production of fruits as citrus and olives. The two orchards of jubuje tree at the farm have different ages, origins (neighbours and tree nursery) and, probably, varieties. Both produce yearly an interesting amount of fruit requiring therefore non-agricultural treatment at all."
 

"O fruto da jujubeira, da espécie Ziziphus jujuba, tem um elevado valor nutricional e biológico, revelando potencial para ser incluído em diferentes formulações alimentares para melhorar a sua qualidade nutricional. Várias partes da planta têm sido utilizadas, não só como alimento, mas também como medicina tradicional chinesa. O fruto (casca e polpa) tem efeitos antioxidantes, anti-inflamatórios, anti-obesidade, anticancerígenos, hepatoprotectores, antidiabéticos, antimicrobianos e cardioprotectores. Quando comparada com a maçã, o fruto mais semelhante, tem mais hidratos de carbono e mais proteínas.
No contexto do RADIANT, o Freixo do Meio reconhece a oportunidade de experimentar, melhorar e promover a diversificação de culturas de árvores de fruto tradicionais na exploração agrícola. Através dos princípios da agroecologia e visando um desenvolvimento económico para a jujuba, é pretendido: identificar e selecionar as variedades mais adequadas de jujubeiras a cultivar; implementar um Pomar Agroecológico na exploração; adaptar e melhorar as práticas agroecológicas. Através dos canais comerciais habituais, no verão de 2021, Freixo do Meio começou a vender pequenas quantidades de frutos frescos de Jubuje. O produto foi vendido a 7 €/kg.
O Freixo do Meio tem várias áreas de pomares para produção de frutos como citrinos e azeitonas. Os dois pomares de jubujeira existentes na quinta têm idades, origens (vizinhos e viveiro) e, provavelmente, variedades diferentes. Ambos produzem anualmente uma quantidade interessante de frutos, pelo que não necessitam de qualquer tratamento agrícola."
 

Tomato is the world’s largest vegetable crop (>130 Mt and growing). The EU is among the biggest producers, with a major contribution by southern countries. EU citizens consume 20 kg of fruits per capita and year, both as fresh and processed products. Tomatoes are rich in carotenoids, and contribute to our antioxidant intake. However, extensive inbreeding during early domestication limited the genetic variation of modern cultivars below 5%. This domestication syndrome makes the most commonly cultivated tomato varieties highly vulnerable to drought stress, becoming a major concern for growers. It also increases the tomato crop environmental footprint. The research group at UNITO is dedicated to identifying and characterizing Mediterranean crop accessions that exhibit resilience to environmental stresses, including drought. However, resilience is not necessarily matched by standard fruit characteristics and field performances, which may hinder acceptance by both farmers and consumers. To promote the adoption of resilient tomato landraces, UNITO is assisting farmers in cultivating these landraces under reduced resource input and developing campaigns to inform consumers and highlight the health benefits of incorporating a diversified diet. 
 

Il pomodoro è la più grande coltura vegetale del mondo (>130 Mt e in crescita). L'UE è tra i maggiori produttori, con un contributo importante da parte dei Paesi del Sud. I cittadini dell'UE consumano 20 kg di frutta pro capite all'anno, sia come prodotti freschi che trasformati. I pomodori sono ricchi di carotenoidi e contribuiscono al nostro apporto di antiossidanti. Tuttavia, l'ampia consanguineità durante la prima domesticazione ha limitato la variazione genetica delle cultivar moderne al di sotto del 5%. Questa sindrome da addomesticamento rende le varietà di pomodoro più comunemente coltivate altamente vulnerabili allo stress da siccità, diventando una delle principali preoccupazioni per i coltivatori. Inoltre, aumenta l'impronta ambientale della coltura del pomodoro. Il gruppo di ricerca dell'UNITO si dedica all'identificazione e alla caratterizzazione di accessioni di colture mediterranee che mostrano resilienza agli stress ambientali, compresa la siccità. Tuttavia, alla resilienza non corrispondono necessariamente caratteristiche standard dei frutti e prestazioni in campo, il che può ostacolare l'accettazione da parte di agricoltori e consumatori. Per promuovere l'adozione di ecotipi di pomodoro resilienti, l'UNITO assiste gli agricoltori nella coltivazione di questi ecotipi con un input ridotto di risorse e sviluppa campagne per informare i consumatori e sottolineare i benefici per la salute derivanti dall'integrazione di una dieta diversificata.
 

Chickpea, the second major pulse crop after dry beans, has garnered considerable attention due to its significance in global food consumption. This versatile legume comes in two primary varieties: Kabuli, distinguished by its large, beige-colored seeds, and Desi, known for its small, rough, and black or brown coated seeds. However, black chickpea faces a risk of genetic erosion. To tap into its potential, RADIANT is collaborating with local Portuguese farmer Luís Batista to bolster research, innovation, and agricultural production of this underutilised legume. The farmer is actively multiplying seeds and increasing local production in Portugal, with the aim of establishing a dynamic value chain for black chickpeas. To support this, a dual approach to black chickpea valorization was adopted. Firstly, the mineral profile, nitrogen and protein content, and various phytochemical analyses of both raw and cooked chickpea (white and black seeds) were studied. The findings revealed significantly higher protein content, antioxidant capacity, and carotenoids concentration in raw black chickpeas compared to their white counterparts. Secondly, a hummus made with black chickpeas was evaluated by a panel of 43 voluntary participants. The overall "Global appreciation" for the black chickpea hummus was similar to that of the white chickpea version. However, it received lower scores in "Smell" and "Color," both of which are heavily influenced by visual perceptions. In conclusion, the potential of black chickpeas in food innovation and its significance in promoting healthy and sustainable diets cannot be overstated and actions of collaborative work between science and the primary sector should be promoted to tackle current agri-food challenges.
 

O grão-de-bico, a segunda cultura de leguminosas mais produzida depois do feijão seco, tem atraído mais atenção devido à sua importância no consumo alimentar mundial. Esta leguminosa versátil apresenta-se em duas variedades principais: Kabuli, que se distingue pelas suas sementes grandes e de cor bege, e Desi, conhecida pelas suas sementes pequenas, rugosas e revestidas de preto ou castanho. No entanto, o grão-de-bico preto corre o risco de erosão genética. Para explorar o seu potencial, o RADIANT está a colaborar com um agricultor português, Luís Batista, que está a multiplicar as sementes e a aumentar a produção local em Portugal, com o objetivo de estabelecer uma cadeia de valor dinâmica para o grão-de-bico preto. Para apoiar esta iniciativa, foram estudados o perfil mineral, o teor de azoto e de proteínas e várias análises fitoquímicas do grão-de-bico cru e cozinhado (sementes brancas e pretas). Os resultados revelaram um teor significativamente mais elevado de proteínas, capacidade antioxidante e concentração de carotenóides no grão-de-bico preto cru, em comparação com o branco. Preparou-se também um hummus com grão-de-bico preto, que foi avaliado por um painel de 43 voluntários. A "Apreciação Global" do húmus de grão-de-bico preto foi semelhante à da versão de grão-de-bico branco. No entanto, recebeu pontuações mais baixas em "Cheiro" e "Cor", ambos fortemente influenciados pelas percepções visuais. Em conclusão, o potencial do grão-de-bico preto na inovação alimentar e a sua importância na promoção de dietas saudáveis e sustentáveis não podem ser subestimados e devem ser promovidas ações colaborativas entre a ciência e o sector primário para enfrentar os atuais desafios agro-alimentares.
 

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  • Universidade Católica Portuguesa

    Project coordinator