Dr. Maarten van der Kamp is the Director of Education at EIT Food and the President of Ecotrophelia Europe, with a strong focus on fostering innovation and sustainability in the agrifood sector. His expertise lies in developing entrepreneurial capacity and shaping educational frameworks to address emerging challenges, such as sustainability and skills gaps in the food system.
Dr. Mario Roccaro, Senior Programme Manager for Education at EIT Food, brings over a decade of experience in research and innovation policy. With a strong background in life sciences and bioeconomy, Mario has played a pivotal role in developing educational programmes for the agrifood industry, as well as advising on R&I strategies at the European Commission.
In this op-ed, Mario Roccaro & Maarten vander Kamp discuss the urgent need to address the skills gap in the agrifood sector, particularly as protein diversification becomes a central focus of the food system transition. They explore how AI-powered solutions, like the Geek4Food Skills Platform, can bridge this gap and drive a more inclusive, sustainable future for the industry.
The talent behind the food system transition
The agrifood sector is at a pivotal moment, facing an urgent need to rethink how we produce, distribute, and consume food.
EIT Food’s Protein Diversification Think Tank emphasises that expanding the variety of protein sources we produce and consume – including plant-based, microbial, and cultivated proteins – can unlock opportunities, boosting sustainability, ensuring food affordability, and enhancing Europe’s competitiveness.
Protein diversification is already playing a critical role in supporting the transformation to a resilient and sustainable food system, and the sector has experienced unprecedented growth. In 2023 alone, global retail sales for plant-based alternatives increased by 34%, adding €26.3 billion compared to the previous year.
Yet, as the industry expands, a critical question emerges: do we have the skilled workforce to support this transformation?
Innovation is moving fast – but skills are lagging
The agrifood industry is evolving rapidly, propelled to some extent by the momentum around diversifying protein sources. Startups are emerging at an impressive rate, launching groundbreaking products and introducing novel technologies. However, this arising innovation is beginning to face an obstacle: a widening skills gap.
Reports published by EIT Food and the OECD indicate that the agrifood sector is grappling with a mismatch between workforce skills and evolving industry needs. It’s clear that the future of protein diversification – and the agrifood sector as a whole – depends not only on technological breakthroughs but also on a skilled workforce to drive and sustain these advancements.
With the wider sector forecasting to lose 13% of its skilled workers in the next decade, the skills shortage poses a major barrier to innovation. This is especially clear in rural regions and amongst marginalised groups, as they continue to face several barriers to entering the sector, despite their potential to drive innovation and growth.
To unlock the full potential of protein diversification and ensure the longevity of the agrifood transition, we need to invest in skills and provide accessible pathways to reskill and upskill the workforce.
A catalyst for fast, inclusive upskilling
To close the skills gap and accelerate the transition to a more diverse food system, the agrifood sector must harness digital solutions – particularly artificial intelligence (AI). AI has the potential to transform workforce development, enabling faster and more inclusive upskilling of workers across the industry.
A leading example is the Geek4Food Skills Platform, an AI-powered skills platform developed by EIT Food in collaboration with SkyHive by Cornerstone, and part of a large consortium under the project Glocal Ecosystems and Expanded Knowledge for skills and capabilities in the food sector, which is supported by the Erasmus+ programme. This platform is designed to address the skills mismatch in the sector by identifying in-demand skills and offering personalised learning pathways based on an individual’s existing expertise and career goals. By doing so, Geek4Food empowers workers to continuously adapt and grow in line with the evolving demands of the food system, which include embracing the growing opportunities around the protein transition.
By offering targeted, accessible upskilling opportunities, platforms like Geek4Food can help close the gap between the current talent pool and the skills needed to innovate across the food sector. This intelligent, dynamic approach ensures that workers from diverse backgrounds and underrepresented groups can access the resources they need to thrive, fostering both innovation and inclusivity.
Integrating AI into workforce development strategies can also speed up the adoption of new technologies and accelerate the pace of innovation – helping to build a smarter, more adaptive workforce.
A future-proof food system
To ensure long-term success, the agrifood sector must prioritise building a resilient workforce. AI-powered upskilling can create agile, efficient teams and help businesses scale rapidly. But it’s not just about speed – it’s about providing equal opportunities for all workers to grow, regardless of their backgrounds.
Employers should integrate AI-powered tools into their training strategies, while industry leaders must recognise upskilling as critical infrastructure. Policies should support continuous learning, and partnerships should be encouraged to accelerate innovation.
We are already seeing examples of this approach in action. EIT Food-supported startups are demonstrating tangible impact by leveraging AI to champion innovation in protein diversification. For example, French startup Protera is using AI to design and develop next-generation, protein-based ingredients. These innovations are not only more sustainable but also enhance functionality in food products, offering benefits like improving shelf life, boosting nutrition, and reducing waste.
These advancements prove that the future isn’t just about automation – it’s about fostering collaboration across the entire agrifood ecosystem and empowering the people within it.
A call for strategic investment in skills
To sustain the growth of innovation in protein diversification and maintain momentum towards the wider food transformation of our food system, strategic investment in skills development must be a priority. Industry leaders and investors must recognise that upskilling, particularly through AI-powered platforms like Geek4Food, is essential for bridging critical skills gaps and accelerating learning.
But this will require a shift in mindset. Supporting policies that incentivise skills investment and adopting a proactive approach to workforce planning will ensure the sector can continue to grow. By using AI to empower the next generation of food innovators, we can ensure that the sector is set up to continue accelerating and scaling the most game changing innovations across supply chains, supporting the transition to a more diverse and resilience food system.
