The recently launched VALPRO Path project has been designed to encourage the output of plant protein across Europe.

It will involve the input of scientists from 10 centres of excellence across Europe; a total funding package of €9.7 million has been secured for the project.

VALPRO Path will bring together 25 scientific teams, working together for four years. This is a Horizon Europe Innovation Action initiative, which will be coordinated by Dr. Ewen Mullins at Teagasc.

“VALPRO Path will develop the profitability potential of plant protein systems in order to meet the sourcing needs of food processors, balanced against environmental and social responsibilities,” Dr. Mullins said.

“This will be demonstrated by exploiting innovations across five living lab production systems.

“These systems will utilise existing farm networks, producers and food processors to realise the potential of on-farm technology and processing, farm-to-shelf nutrient tracking and agronomic practices that mitigate yield loss thereby creating crop synergies that support new business models.

“By applying the multi-sector expertise available to VALPRO Path, we will bring research-led applications closer to market, addressing the primary challenge that currently exists – the lack of supply and added value in EU plant protein production systems.”

Plant protein

According to Mullins, Europe’s plant protein landscape is flawed with production systems focused heavily on the production of feedstock for direct transfer into animal sectors.

This approach has been taken in an attempt to counter the EU’s over-dependency on imported feed.

This means there is an absence of premium supply chains. As a consequence, farmers are said to be missing added-value opportunities that exist within the crops they already grow across Europe.

In addition, researchers have said that there is a need to increase resilience in farming systems to mitigate against increasingly volatile climate patterns and to support farming systems to meet farm-to-fork strategic objectives.

The aim of VALPRO Path is to design and deliver sustainable and competitive plant protein crop systems and value chains. 

The project has been designed to deliver a stronger ecosystem for plant protein production across Europe, supported with evidence of the social, economic, environmental and climate benefits.

Prof. Pat Dillon, director of research at Teagasc, who officially opened VALPRO Path, said:

“With strong industry involvement VALPRO Path will deliver new, sustainable business models, showing how focussed research can come into practice.

“Sustainable diversification of rotations with grain legumes will support the transition to more environmentally sustainable farming and VALPRO Path will show that by embracing opportunities presented through existing food science innovations, new market opportunities that exist for indigenous, fully traceable plant protein will be realised.”