The reports published by Fakt claim that government funds were used for a project exploring edible worms. The disclosure sparked criticism from Solidarna Polska, which urged an immediate halt to funding and called for an audit. The Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy, along with Minister Grzegorz Puda, issued responses to the coverage.
According to the article, the National Center for Research and Development, a government agency reporting to the Minister of Development Funds and Regional Policy, allocated PLN 6.5 million to the project described as involving edible insect cultivation in stairwells.
– the report notes.
Solidarna Polska responds: halt funding now
Members of Solidarna Polska voiced strong opposition to the initiative, with party representatives arguing that the project promotes an ideological approach unfavourable to Polish farmers and positions insects as an alternative to high-quality products produced by Polish farms.
The United Right group reiterated its stance, indicating that it could not support ideas that conflict with Polish interests and calling the notion of insect-based farming a misstep for the Polish countryside.
They urged an immediate suspension of funding and demanded an audit to determine whether the described case was isolated and to review the allocation of millions of zlotys from the National Centre for Research and Development’s resources, viewing the funding as wasteful.
– the statement quotes.
The ministry’s position: SmartFood is not a government programme
The Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy issued a statement clarifying that the SmartFood project is not a government program. The ministry highlighted that about 85% of the project’s financing comes from Norwegian funds, with 15% coming from mandatory national co-financing ( PLN 973,000 ). The requirement for domestic funding is part of the conditions for securing foreign financing.
The ministry noted that the decision to co-finance the SmartFood project was made on July 21, 2021, by the National Center for Research and Development, and the contract for implementation was signed on December 1, 2021, during a period when the ministry overseeing the funds was not involved in the programme.
The ministry also emphasized that it does not influence evaluations of projects carried out by Polish research institutions, including those in international collaborations, and that independent experts assess and select projects. The SmartFood initiative was described as primarily focused on the cultivation of fruit and vegetables, with insect farming listed as an optional objective. The framing of the project as predominantly about insect farming did not align with the application’s stated co-financing terms, according to the ministry.
The ministry explained that independent experts evaluate the substantive value of co-financing applications for each project. Grants are awarded based on this assessment. An international panel from Austria, Germany, Denmark, and Greece reviewed the SmartFood project, with rules preventing involvement from donor-country experts or from Poland as the beneficiary country during the assessment.
The SmartFood project is described as conducted by a consortium of national and Norwegian universities, including: Centrum Badań i Innowacji Pro-Akademia (leader), Cracow University of Technology, Academy of Special Pedagogy. Maria Grzegorzeńska; Norwegian partners such as the Norwegian Institute for Air Research, Western Norway Research Institute, and BI Norwegian Business School.
Puda comments: funding comes from Norwegian funds, not government funds
The minister stressed that the university’s research activity should not dictate government policy. The project SmartFood: Engaging citizens in food diversity in cities is described as being conducted by a consortium of Polish and Norwegian universities and funded by Norwegian sources rather than by government funds.
These remarks were posted in a social media update attributed to Grzegorz Puda, Minister of Development Funds and Regional Policy.
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There are discussions and responses regarding edible insects in media and online forums. These items reflect different perspectives on the role of novel foods and agricultural policy.
Commentary from various outlets and public figures is noted as part of ongoing media coverage and debate around this topic, including discussions about agricultural policy, the impact on traditional farming, and public reception of insect-based foods.
The summarised discourse indicates a spectrum of views on the use of foreign funds for research projects and the implications for domestic farming and food security.
Source: wPolityce