Solutions and interventions for the technological transfer and the innovation of the agro-food sector in South East regions
TECH.FOOD, tackles the topic of innovation of the agro-food sector, one of the major components of the SEE economies in terms of turnover, number of SMEs and persons employed. The project arises from the necessity of common strategies, tools, and opportunities to promote R&TD and innovation in the agro-food sector, facing the fast decreasing competitiveness of SEE agro-food enterprises. Project will be developed by institutions and scientific bodies spread across 7 SEE regions representative of the SEE space. Main TECH.FOOD objective consists in building R&TD and innovation capacity of the agro-food sector, overcoming the lack of links among research bodies, institutions and enterprises, coherently to the Lisbon strategy goals. Project activities are organized in 7 work packages, developed according to a multi-level methodology that foreseen the direct participation and commitment of target groups and stakeholders throughout the whole project implementation. Project starts from a deep analysis highlighting innovation needs and potentials of agro-food SMEs, to be performed at local level according to a transnational methodology. Regional profiles obtained by the analysis represent the base for all further activities. The establishment of a transnational network among involved regions will allow to create new opportunities of innovation and business among regional target groups, that will be hold in local networks by the operation of the project Technological Transfer Nodes realized by partners. Concrete innovation will be fostered by applying an Innovation Toolbox addressed to enterprises and research centres, with the catalyst action played by institutions. Tools application will allow to trigger, already during project lifecycle, R&TD and innovation processes in all concerned regions, also through the participation to EU financial instruments for competitiveness. After project end, a wide critical mass of innovation potentials is expected to be expressed.