Connecting Humans in the Agrifood INdustry (CHAIN)

Main research question/goal

Companies - including those in the agrifood chain - are digitizing more and more. This makes data sharing a must, both within a farm or company and beyond, through the whole chain with various chain partners. Technologically, this is already feasible, but what about the workability for the employees? The CHAIN research project, with support from European Social Fund (ESF), examines the stumbling blocks for digitization and data sharing for employees. How can these be removed in a sustainable way with attention to human capital? CHAIN connects companies, but above all people: Connecting Humans in the Agrifood INdustry.

Research approach

We set up a training course to support companies in the agri-food industry in a digitization and data sharing process tailored to their employees. The guidance program is developed and tested in close collaboration with companies from various agri-food chains. It has 4 phases: initiation phase (analysis and exploration of the chain and chain partners), foundation phase (consolidation and start-up), realization phase (implementation) and recalibration phase (evaluation and adjustment). After testing, the program will be validated through additional companies. 

Relevance/Valorisation

Among other things, CHAIN results in a roadmap, to be considered a useful guide for each of the project partners, but certainly also for regular training providers. We expect that this will ensure the sustainability of the guidance trajectory. And that it will also make it easier for the proven pathways to serve as examples for companies that were not in CHAIN itself.  

Disciplines:Education, culture and society not elsewhere classified, Other biotechnology, bio-engineering and biosystem engineering not elsewhere classified

Project type:PhD project