The IMPRESS project aims to boost the bio-based marine and freshwater economy in Europe through the co-creation, supply, and promotion of new and improved products and processes using low trophic level species (LTS). Its objective is to provide concrete solutions for the European dietary shift through interactive knowledge-based innovation.
IMPRESS activities focus on enhancing the profitability, circularity, availability, affordability, and acceptability of new products and value chains developed from Europe's inland and coastal waters. Innovative solutions are demonstrated based on the ecosystem approach to sustainable production and resource utilization. Furthermore, multi-stakeholder engagement is promoted through advisory panels and participatory workshops involving all stakeholders and actors within the value chains. Sustainability assessments are conducted, and circular business models are encouraged to involve industry, consumers, and the wider community, following the IMPRESS methodology. Clusaga will contribute to the project by strengthening this connection with market trends and industry interests.
IMPRESS is a European project funded by Horizon Europe, in which the Galician Food Cluster (Clusaga) and ANFACO-CECOPESCA collaborate as partners. The consortium, coordinated by Teagasc (Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority), comprises 14 organizations from 6 European Union countries and aims to strengthen the multi-actor approach by bringing together academic and research institutes, industrial enterprises, service providers, and non-profit organizations in the agro-rural sector.
Objectives and activities of IMPRESS
The specific objectives include:
- Applying a user participatory approach in the innovation process to achieve responsible production, consumption, and waste management of low trophic level species (LTS) and ensuring the social sustainability of project outcomes.
- Developing comprehensive training and outreach programs for professionals in the blue economy and promoting the exchange of results and best practices.
- Developing new value chains using a zero-waste approach from processing streams of low trophic level species.
- Assessing and improving the environmental and economic sustainability of new and existing value chains developed for low trophic level species.
- Co-creating, delivering, and promoting a wide range of new food and feed products from low trophic level species, including packaging designed to meet consumer requirements.
