GRAINS – Greening Agrifood in Social Economy

An EU funded project to promote the transition of enterprises in the agrifood sector to a more sustainable model.

About

The agri-food sector is both impacted by and contributes to climate change. It can help mitigate climate change by adopting several solutions, including sustainable farming practices, reducing food loss and waste, developing eco-packaging solutions, promoting local markets and sustainable diets and investing in innovative technology to reduce carbon energy and water footprint while ensuring biodiversity. Moreover, faced with growing global demand and resources competition, the EU’s agri-food activities need to be seen in a broader context, linked to energy, biodiversity, health diets and food security.

 

 

Objectives

GRAINS project aims to address these challenges by providing training on sustainable practices and on how to reduce their environmental footprint.

  • Supporting the transition of social economy SMEs towards sustainable and environmentally friendly practices and production processes.
  • Promoting the adoption of sustainable technologies and innovations in the agri-food
  • Building the capacity and competitiveness of social economy SMEs through knowledge transfer and skills development in sustainable practices.
  • Fostering transnational cooperation, best practice sharing, and promoting sustainable practices through awareness-raising efforts.

Outputs

European capacity building trainings

participants

Coaching and mentoring advice services to

SME's

Business advisory services to

SME's

Financial support to

SME's

Opportunity hub

ANNOUNCEMENTS

LIST OF SUCCESSFUL APPLICATIONS: 1st round of Call for Interest: Specialised Advisory Services for Social Economy SMEs on Greening Agrifood

Through the Call for Interest for Specialised Advisory Services for Social Economy SMEs on Greening Agrifood, 40 participants from Social Economy SMEs in the agri-food sector is to be selected to receive support for the implementation of their project. The first round of the Call was open between from 28 March 2024 to 15 June 2024.

Access here access the list of successful applicants and the details about the services provided.

LIST OF SUCCESSFUL APPLICATIONS: 1st round of Call for Interest: Coaching and Mentoring Services for Social Economy SMEs on Greening Agrifood

Through the Call for Interest for Coaching and Mentoring Services for Social Economy SMEs on Greening Agrifood, 30 participants from Social Economy SMEs in the agri-food sector are selected to receive support for the implementation of their project. The first round of the Call was open between from 28 March 2024 to 15 June 2024.

Access here access the list of successful applicants and the details about the services provided.

Open Calls

GENERAL INFORMATION ON CAPACITY BUILDING TRAININGS

The trainings are organised between January 2024 and May 2025 online, in English and open to all free of charge but registration is needed. Materials used during the sessions are accessible through this website, in the Training Materials section.

Check all the information about the training session here.

The next online training is in September 2024 on branding and labeling.

Closed Calls

CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR FINANCIAL SUPPORT

This Call for Proposals for Financial Support for Social Economy SMEs in Agrifood was open from 29 February 2024 to 28 June 2024 17:00 CET (final deadline). Financial support up to 8175 EUR  to be granted for 60 Social Economy SMEs in the agrifood sector.  Application process and more details were available in the European Cluster Collaboration Platform. You find the text of call also here.

If you are a service provider, the opportunity to apply for admission to the service provider’s pool is also closed by now. 

Find here the most recent Service Providers List (updated on the 20th June 2024).

(Second round) CALL FOR INTEREST: Coaching and Mentoring Services for Social Economy SMEs on Greening Agrifood

30 participants from Social Economy SMEs in the agrifood sector will be selected to receive support for the implementation of their project. This support includes coaching and mentoring services designed to assist the beneficiaries in assessing their requirements and developing action plans to adopt sustainable practices within their operations.

Find updated information here and apply through this link before the 20 September 2024.

(Second round) CALL FOR INTEREST: Specialised Advisory Services for Social Economy SMEs on Greening Agrifood

40 participants from Social Economy SMEs in the agrifood sector will be selected to receive support for the implementation of their project. This support includes advisory services designed to assist the beneficiaries to adopt sustainable practices within their operations.

Find the updated information here and apply through this link before the 20 September 2024.

(First round) CALL FOR INTEREST: Coaching and Mentoring Services for Social Economy SMEs on Greening Agrifood

30 participants from Social Economy SMEs in the agrifood sector will be selected to receive support for the implementation of their project. This support includes coaching and mentoring services designed to assist the beneficiaries in assessing their requirements and developing action plans to adopt sustainable practices within their operations.

Find updated information here and apply through this link before the 15 June 2024.

(First round) CALL FOR INTEREST: Specialised Advisory Services for Social Economy SMEs on Greening Agrifood

40 participants from Social Economy SMEs in the agrifood sector will be selected to receive support for the implementation of their project. This support includes advisory services designed to assist the beneficiaries to adopt sustainable practices within their operations.

Find the updated information here and apply through this link before the 15 June 2024.

CALL FOR SERVICE PROVIDERS

Selected Social Economy SMEs will contract verified service providers financed through the grant provided to them by the Financial Facility Program. Read all the information about the call here.

Find here the most recent Service Providers List.

 

FIRST CALL FOR PARTICIPANTS TO CAPACITY BUILDING ACTIVITIES

Registration for next trainings will be announced individually. Read all the information about the call here.

Training materials

Access to technology and digitalisation for the green transition of Social Economy Small and Medium Enterprises (26 March 2024)

Info Day Webinar

Watch again the GRAINS Info Day hosted 11 April 2024. In this webinar the project activities and the opportunities it offers to SMEs is explained. You can access here the presentation in pdf.

#GRAINSforaGreenerFuture campaign

We are spreading awareness about how social economy economy organistions are reshaping the agrifood sector. Prioritising people, they forge direct connections between producers, consumers, and communities for a more sustainable future.

In the agrifood sector, social economy is pivotal in promoting sustainability and fostering social cohesion through food. It serves as a catalyst for employment, addressing social challenges, and driving local economic growth.

Explore initiatives leveraging food for dual benefits—environmental and societal. Here, we showcase inspiring SMEs in the agrifood sector, illustrating their transformative impact on society and providing insights for replication.

Discover how these initiatives aligned with the 14 action areas defined in the Transition Pathway for Proximity  and #socialeconomy by the European Commission. 

Do you want to highlight your SMEs through our campaign?

Contact us at grainsproject@diesis.coop

Partnership

To achieve the project objectives, a strong and synergical consortium has been set up, composed of 6 organisations in 5 countries:  Belgium, Germany, Romania, Italy and Ukraine.

Diesis - Coordinator

Diesis - Coordinator

www.diesis.coop

Associazione Generale Cooperative Italiane

Associazione Generale Cooperative Italiane

www.agci.it

Consorzio Ruini Societa' Cooperativa Consortile Impresa Sociale

Consorzio Ruini Societa' Cooperativa Consortile Impresa Sociale

www.consorziomeuccioruini.it

innova eG

innova eG

www.innova-eg.de

Charitable Organization Platform for Social Change

Charitable Organization Platform for Social Change

www.social-change.com.ua/ukrainian-social-academys-en

Asociatia Centrul Pentru Legislatie Nonprofit

Asociatia Centrul Pentru Legislatie Nonprofit

www.clnr.ro

The consortium partners are directly supported by 3 associated partners:  EURO COOP that brings together 20 national movements of consumer co-operatives in Europe, plus PRACTICO, a part of Smart People business school in Ukraine, and Leaders International ASBL

Newsletter

Contact

grainsproject@diesis.coop

Diesis Network
Boulevard Charlemagne 74
1000 Brussels  – Belgium
TVA BE 0460304689

Tel: +32.2.543.10.43
diesis@diesis.coop

www.diesis.coop 

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

Project number 101127575