Digital, ecological and technological transitions are now at the heart of the competitiveness challenges facing agri-food companies. To support these changes, the European project ASCA SUDOE brings together partners from France, Spain and Portugal around a shared goal: helping agri-food SMEs strengthen their skills, adopt new practices and develop their capacity for innovation.
To better understand companies’ needs and design actions suited to realities on the ground, a survey was conducted among agri-food SMEs in the SUDOE area. The results identified common trends across the project, while also highlighting certain national specificities.
The analysis of the French responses in particular provides valuable insights into the challenges and expectations of SMEs in the sector.
Companies already committed to the transitions
The results show that French agri-food SMEs are not starting from scratch. Sustainability initiatives are already widely integrated into business strategies.
- 67% of the companies surveyed consider sustainability an important or central element of their strategy;
- 71% have implemented energy efficiency measures;
- 71% have solutions in place to make use of their by-products.
These figures reflect a genuine awareness of environmental issues and a real willingness to take concrete action to improve companies’ overall performance.
Digital emerges as a priority
While companies are already engaged in their transformation, they clearly identify the skills they want to develop to go further. The main needs expressed include:
- data analysis to improve competitiveness (67%);
- e-commerce (48%);
- product traceability (43%).
These results show that digitalisation is now seen as a key lever for gaining efficiency, improving decision-making and strengthening competitiveness.
Untapped innovation potential
The survey also highlights significant room for progress in terms of innovation. Among the French SMEs surveyed:
- 71% do not yet use new food processing technologies;
- 57% are not involved in any identified innovation project;
- 86% are not yet working on applications related to artificial intelligence or Industry 5.0.
These results illustrate the difficulties SMEs face in accessing the resources, skills or support needed to adopt new technologies.
Barriers shared by many companies
The study also reveals recurring obstacles in transformation projects. The main barriers cited are:
- the cost of investment (57%);
- lack of time (57%);
- lack of qualified staff (48%);
- lack of suitable technological solutions (33%).
These results point less to a lack of willingness than to a need for hands-on support to help companies turn their projects into reality.
A strong demand for training
One of the most striking findings of the survey concerns the need for upskilling.
81% of the French SMEs surveyed would like to benefit from training or support programmes on digital transition, sustainability or CSR.
This figure confirms the need for programmes tailored to the realities of agri-food SMEs and able to address very practical challenges.
How ASCA SUDOE responds to these needs
The survey findings provide an essential basis for guiding the project’s actions. To meet the expectations of companies in the SUDOE area, ASCA SUDOE is rolling out a training programme dedicated to agri-food SMEs, built around three main themes:
- digital transformation;
- new technologies applied to food processing;
- the sustainability of production systems through the circular economy.
These training courses were designed to provide concrete answers to the issues identified on the ground and to help companies develop the skills they need for their transformation.
Take action with ASCA training
The survey is clear: agri-food SMEs want to accelerate their transformation, but they need the right tools, skills and support to do so. With 81% of French respondents expressing a need for training, demand is high.
To support this momentum, ASCA SUDOE offers a training programme specifically designed for agri-food SMEs.
👉 Would you like to develop your teams’ skills in digitalisation, innovation or the circular economy?
👉 Would you like to discover the opportunities offered by the ASCA SUDOE project?
Contact Aurore Chauvin-Charleux (aurore.chauvin-charleux@agrisudouest.com) to find out more about the available training courses and how to take part.
Through these actions, ASCA SUDOE helps turn the challenges facing agri-food SMEs into opportunities for sustainable development, innovation and competitiveness across the SUDOE area.