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Food Forum and Food Team: Regional Food Innovation Cluster Networks in South Ostrobothnia
Published on 01 February 2021
Finland
Länsi-Suomi
This is the good practice's implementation level. It can be national, regional or local.
About this good practice
Food Forum and Food Team are food sector collaboration networks that operate in South Ostrobothnia. The aim of the networks is to enhance the innovativeness and information sharing within the region’s food sector and they both are outputs from a former development project funded by the ERDF. The networks form a regional food cluster and carry out activities developed in the previous project.
Food Forum is a collaboration among five key actors who work within the food sector development in the region. The aim of the collaboration is to enhance the innovativeness of the agri-food sector through various activities. The collaboration is based on a signed contract. The forum meets three to four times a year and the chairmanship rotate every year. The main activities are: 1. Organisation of Food Business Summit, FBS (a yearly national event), 2. Organisation of Food Business Challenge (an innovation competition for students), 3. Organisation of smaller events related to new knowledge and innovations in the agri-food sector.
Food Team is a looser network that has been directed especially for food sector companies and their development. The team brings together companies within the food sector and enhances their exporting possibilities. Five to ten companies have actively taken part in the network. The team has also organised an export trip to China. Secondly the network aims to enhance the conspicuousness of the region as Food Province and its know-how in the food sector.
Food Forum is a collaboration among five key actors who work within the food sector development in the region. The aim of the collaboration is to enhance the innovativeness of the agri-food sector through various activities. The collaboration is based on a signed contract. The forum meets three to four times a year and the chairmanship rotate every year. The main activities are: 1. Organisation of Food Business Summit, FBS (a yearly national event), 2. Organisation of Food Business Challenge (an innovation competition for students), 3. Organisation of smaller events related to new knowledge and innovations in the agri-food sector.
Food Team is a looser network that has been directed especially for food sector companies and their development. The team brings together companies within the food sector and enhances their exporting possibilities. Five to ten companies have actively taken part in the network. The team has also organised an export trip to China. Secondly the network aims to enhance the conspicuousness of the region as Food Province and its know-how in the food sector.
Expert opinion
This good practice is an excellent example of promoting regional cluster development while also increasing the competitiveness of local SMEs. First, the creation of the “Food Forum” created a platform for key stakeholders in the food industry to set and pursue macro-goals for developing the food sector cluster in South Ostrobothnia through targeted and open collaboration activities. What is more, the sustainability for such a forum is enhanced by having the members sign a contract outlining their commitment to the goals of the programme. Second, the creation of the “Food Team”, a second network in the regional food industry, provides targeted training opportunities for food companies in the region, thus providing support to local companies at a singular level.
The two approaches together align broad objectives for the regional food cluster with targeted support activities for food companies at a singular level. Therefore, due to the holistic approach taken, it offers a unique learning opportunity for other policy makers.
One last thing to note is that these practices came out of previous ERDF projects. The fact that Food Forum and Food Team have become self-sustainable by regional actors after external funding ended is also a sign of the success of these practices.
The two approaches together align broad objectives for the regional food cluster with targeted support activities for food companies at a singular level. Therefore, due to the holistic approach taken, it offers a unique learning opportunity for other policy makers.
One last thing to note is that these practices came out of previous ERDF projects. The fact that Food Forum and Food Team have become self-sustainable by regional actors after external funding ended is also a sign of the success of these practices.
Works at
Interreg Europe Policy Learning Platform
Resources needed
Running the networks requires relatively a low amount of resources and most activities are funded from actors’ own resources. The most resources are needed for the organisation of The Food Business Summit (from 3500 to 8000 EUR) and the Food Business Challenge competition (around 5 000 EUR /year).
Evidence of success
The practice is an example of how activities developed in a former project have been implemented in the region and continue to function as part of organizations’ own activities. The Food Business Summit and Food Business Challenge especially, have enhanced the regions visibility nationwide. FBS has succeeded in bringing actors together and many good collaborations have started there. Food Team’s export trip to China was also a success, where smaller SMEs also got a change to participate.
Potential for learning or transfer
Especially for small regions with limited resources, this practice offers a potential model to be implemented and a starting point for networking and cluster-building within the food sector. Cooperation of key actors is crucial for the success and innovativeness of the region. The two networks aim help finding common goals and strengthening collaboration in the region.
The organisation of the Food Business Summit and the Food Business Challenge Innovation Competition are also interesting concepts that could be transferred to other partner regions.
The organisation of the Food Business Summit and the Food Business Challenge Innovation Competition are also interesting concepts that could be transferred to other partner regions.
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
Regional Council of South Ostrobothnia
Finland
Länsi-Suomi
Contact