The General Assembly of INCiTiS-FOOD, held from March 31st to April 4th, 2025, at the Université des Sciences et Techniques de Masuku (USTM) in Franceville, Gabon, marked another key moment for the project. Project partners from Africa and Europe gathered to reflect on the progress achieved so far, define the next steps, and explore how we can collectively contribute to their successful implementation. As the project enters its third year, discussions also focused on ensuring the long-term sustainability of the Living Labs – an important aspect of INCiTiS-FOOD’s mission.
The central theme of the five-day General Assembly was a series of collaborative paper-writing workshops. Topics included circularity indicators, sustainable food systems, simplified hydroponics, aquaponics, methodological approaches to integrating faecal indicator data, antibiotic resistance, the adoption and commercialisation of insect-based fish feed, and many more. In addition to the writing sessions, partners participated in a series of capacity-building workshops focused on practical skills and strategic planning.
Read on for a day-by-day look at the activities, discussions, and highlights from our week in Gabon.
Day 1: Setting the Stage
On the 31st of March, the General Assembly opened with welcoming remarks from Sylvère Mboumba, our host from Université des Sciences et Techniques de Masuku; Professor Patrick Mickala of Université des Sciences et Techniques de Masuku; and INCiTiS-FOOD project coordinator Gertrud Buchenrieder. The day continued with presentations from all work packages, where partners shared key updates, highlighted progress, and discussed the next steps for the months ahead.
Day 2: Strengthening Capacity and Advancing Research
The second day began with a capacity-building workshop on smart publishing, which explored open access, the role of AI in scientific writing, and practical guidance on publishing academic work.
Following this, participants signed up for focused working groups and joined hands-on paper-writing sessions. The themes included circularity indicators, sustainable food systems, simplified hydroponics, and aquaponics – each aligning with key research areas within the project.
In the afternoon, attention turned to business and economics, with a capacity-building session that addressed:
- Cost-benefit analysis (CBA) for aquaponics
- The identification of promising business cases
- The willingness-to-pay approach
- Practical use of the Business Model Canvas
The day closed with continued work on circularity and food systems papers, and a dedicated workshop on applying the Business Model Canvas in the context of the Université des Sciences et Techniques de Masuku Living Lab.
Day 3: Sustaining Impact
Day three opened with a session titled Beyond the Horizon: Securing Future Funding and Other Opportunities, where participants explored how to extend the project’s long-term impact.
This was followed by continued writing workshops from the previous day on circularity indicators, sustainable food systems, simplified hydroponics, and aquaponics, offering space for deeper collaboration and knowledge-sharing.
In the afternoon, partners stepped away from technical discussions for a visit to the Primatology Centre of the Interdisciplinary Medical Research Centre in Franceville – an opportunity to explore Gabon’s biodiversity and strengthen interpersonal connections.
Day 4: Deepening the Dialogue
The fourth day featured a workshop on ecosystem building where the main focus was on ensuring the long-term impact of the project through Memorandums of Understanding and Letters of Intent. This was followed by a capacity-building session on gender and social inclusion. This workshop addressed the engagement of women, youth, and people with disabilities and explored how digital tools can enhance access to markets.
Targeted paper writing sessions continued, covering topics such as:
- Methodological papers
- Integration of faecal indicators and antibiotic resistance
- Commercialisation of fish feed derived from insects
Day concluded with a session led by Work Package 6 (Management and Coordination) focused on using the SWOT tool to assess critical project risks, ensuring the long-term impact of project results, and reviewing the ethics framework.
Day 5: Finalising Work and Looking Ahead
The final day opened with reflections and reports from the previous workshops, as participants discussed progress made and explored ways to strengthen collaboration moving forward. This was followed by a training session on Growth Component Analysis – delivered in English for INCiTiS-FOOD partners and in French for students at USTM – highlighting the project’s commitment to inclusive, multilingual engagement.
The General Assembly concluded with a wrap-up session and a formal closing ceremony, during which all participants received certificates of attendance and appreciation.
Conclusion
The 3rd General Assembly of INCiTiS-FOOD was a highly productive gathering. Partners aligned on key priorities and next steps, focusing on strengthening scientific collaboration, formalising strategic partnerships, and identifying pathways to sustain project outcomes beyond its duration.
We extend our sincere thanks to USTM for their generous hospitality and to all consortium members for their active contributions throughout the week. The 3rd General Assembly reaffirmed the collaborative spirit of the INCiTiS-FOOD project and our shared commitment to co-creating sustainable urban food systems.
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