🚨 How can we make food systems safer in a changing climate?

In the MYMATCH project, UCSC recently completed Deliverable D3.2 – List of End-user Needs and Requirements.

This milestone helps us understand what different actors across the food chain truly need to manage the growing risks of mycotoxins – toxic substances that climate change is changing in kind and frequency in crops, like maize, wheat, tomatoes, and nuts.

🎯 What was the goal?

To identify the expectations, challenges, and digital readiness of farmers, food industry professionals, policymakers, and consumers – so we can co-design a platform that works for them.

🧩 How did we do it?

We mapped and engaged with 264 stakeholders across 9 European countries, including 58 farmers, 36 consumers, 87 food industry professionals and 84 policymakers.

We used tailored surveys and interviews, developed by a multidisciplinary team, to gather insights on climate risks, mycotoxin awareness, digital habits, and willingness to engage in collaborative platforms.

👉 This enabled us to build realistic personas, i.e. typical user profiles that reflect real needs and behaviours.

💬 What are the key learnings?

• Farmers want simple, mobile tools to protect their harvests.
• Industry experts need predictive analytics and traceability.
• Policymakers look for robust data to guide regulation.
• Consumers ask for clear, trustworthy information.

🚀 These findings are now shaping the design of the MYMATCH platform, ensuring it’s inclusive, practical, and ready to support real-world decisions across the food system.

📆 What’s next?

We’re launching the stakeholder surveys across Europe and starting to build the platform architecture, shaped by the voices of those who will use it.

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