Increasing Competitiveness of South Baltic Regional Food

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Since the 1950s, processes of globalisation have spurred the diffusion of bulk production in the food sector at the expense of losing local and regional food production. However, there has recently arisen a renewed interest among customers, producers and authorities in local food production that is environmentally and economically sustainable. This development presents an opportunity for the South Baltic (SB) region to promote local and regional food production and, thereby, to contribute to its economic development and competitiveness. The new business opportunity for SB regional food production and marketing may be strongly enhanced if core features of the SB regional food have been clearly articulated and visibly promoted. This may be achieved by re-coupling SB food products with unique SB regional identities (i.e., its climate, geography, history and local craftsmanship). In addition, the SB food sector needs newly educated and skilled workforce that is trained in SB regional food. Development of a curricula and educational program on SB regional food is, therefore, a precondition for the preparation of scores of food specialists competent in SB regional food. Overall, the investment in SB regional food education has a strong potential for rendering regional education more attractive, increasing job competences, and further developing new job and business opportunities, thereby, promoting SB regional economies within and beyond the food sector. The project’s long-term objective is to promote the economic competitiveness of SB regional food production both locally, regionally and in Europe. The short-term objectives comprise (1) improved understanding of existing challenges, opportunities, strengths and weaknesses for enhancing local and regional SB food production; (2) increased job competences of students in higher educational institutions on the SB regional food; and (3) increased capacity of practitioners in the food market to brand and market SB regional food products. Contents: The project will attain its aims by employing a cross-border and cross-sector cooperation strategy of strengthening liaisons between higher education and practitioners in the food sector in the four countries in the SB region: Denmark, Sweden, Lithuania and Germany. A range of activities will be implemented around development of new education curricula and programmes and dissemination of knowledge through training and practical internships. The expected results are: a concept of SB regional food has been formulated; common curricula and four national educational programs on SB regional food for students in higher educational institutions have been designed; 80 students in higher educational institutions in the four SB countries have increased their knowledge and practical skills on SB regional food, and 20 practitioners in the food sector have increased their capacity to market regional food products.

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