SFSCs have a positive impact on the environment and on many other related aspects including human health and wellbeing, economic and food supply resilience.

Food chains usually begin at local farms, where some goods may already be processed. However, most of the food that is eaten in the Europe passes from farms downstream to food and beverage manufacturers for subsequent processing or transformation and then goes on towards food and beverage retailers or consumer services until reaching the final consumer.

While SFSCs practices have multiplied across Europe, their impact on the economic sustainability of their actors and territories appears limited by their natural fragmentation in small experiences that somehow hinder the circulation of ideas, experiences, widespread of innovation and the generation of innovation-driven research.

To overcome knowledge-fragmentation, SKIN establishes its thematic network, to enhance a substantial injection of innovation into SFSCs and adopting a cooperative multi-actor knowledge for the benefit of the whole European agro-food sector.