The project will coordinate measures related to local food at the national, regional and international level, and strengthen the exchange of information, cooperation and division of duties between projects and actors involved in local food. At the same time, development efforts in regions will be supported and complemented by forging connections and planning common measures. Communication is a key entity of measures in the coordination project and the cross-cutting theme of all activities in the coordination project.
The local food coordination project will be implemented in close cooperation with regional activities and national partners, including sectors closely related to local food, such as organic produce, natural products, and (food) tourism.
The main target group of the project are projects and actors associated with the local food sector, locally, regionally and nationally. Through these networks, the beneficiaries are local food companies and producers, as well as their partners, i.e. customers from consumers to professionals.
The project, carried out in the period 17 June 2015 – 31 January 2018, is coordinated by Brahea Centre at the University of Turku.
The aim of the local food coordination project is to increase and intensify cooperation in the local food industry and to enhance the competitiveness of the sector through networking. The main functions of the local food coordination project:
- To coordinate national, regional and international measures related to local food
- To strengthen and implement information exchange, cooperation and division of duties between projects and actors involved in local food
- To support and complement development efforts in regions by forging connections and planning common measures
- To agree on the division of duties with various actors and to enhance cooperation between the local food sector and related industries and development measures across programme boundaries
- To communicate about local food and maintain contacts between local food business operators and others related to the value chain, while committing to national cooperation
