EU CAP Network Workshop in Rouen: Innovation in Logistics to Strengthen Farmers’ Position in the Food Supply Chain

The EU CAP Network workshop titled “Innovation in Logistics to Improve the Position of Farmers in a Supply Chain” took place in Rouen, France, bringing together innovative practices and new organizational and technological solutions aimed at optimizing logistics within the agri-food supply chain.

The event was organized by the EU CAP Network of the European Commission and the European Innovation Partnership for Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability (EIP-AGRI). It gathered 70 participants from 21 EU Member States, including farmers, advisors and researchers, food processors, retailers, and NGOs.

Romania was represented by a seven-member delegation comprised of experts from both the public and private sectors, including universities, NGOs, farmers, processors, public institutions, and research institutes.

From the National Agency for Mountain Areas (AZM), Mr. Dănuț Ungureanu, Director of the CEFIDEC (Training and Innovation Centre for Development in the Carpathians), attended on behalf of the agency.

Key Topics and Discussions

The workshop explored the current state of agri-food value chains in Europe, identifying key challenges, driving factors, emerging trends, and future scenarios. Special emphasis was placed on logistics and the empowerment of farmers within the supply chain.

The participants worked to identify concrete solutions to strengthen farmers’ positions in the supply chain—through collaboration, digitalization, and logistics models tailored to rural needs.

The event featured interactive sessions and a poster presentation, showcasing ten good practice examples from across the EU. These examples demonstrated successful collaboration and innovation among farmers, public institutions, researchers, processors, and other key stakeholders.

Study Visits

With the support of the Chamber of Agriculture of Normandy, participants visited two regional logistics initiatives:

• A collaborative logistics model for farmers using the “Box Fermier” local scheme.
• Shared services for distribution and transport implemented by Maison Grosdoit.

These visits were hosted at the Lycée Agricole de Brémontier-Merval agricultural school.

Challenges Identified in Working Groups

• Fragmented coordination between supply chain actors.
• Limited access to digital infrastructure and high costs associated with necessary technologies.
• Lack of customized logistics solutions for small-scale producers.

However, collaboration (e.g. cooperative logistics, shared platforms, and technological resources) was highlighted as a key enabler for improving market access and positioning for farmers.

Key Conclusions & Recommendations

• Building trust between farmers, supply chain actors, and technology providers is crucial for successful cooperation, data sharing, and the adoption of new logistics solutions.
• Effective partnerships between farmers, researchers, public institutions, and processors are essential to drive innovation and collaboration across the value chain.
• The projects demonstrated that innovative approaches and cooperative logistics models hold great potential to increase the competitiveness of farmers. (Photo: AZM)