22 - 26 May 2023

22 - 26 May 2023

Project “Enhancing capacity of universities to initiate and to participate in clusters development on innovation and sustainability principles” (UniClaD)

EU program Erasmus +, project KA2 n° 609944-EPP-1-2019-1-LT-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP

Study tour Italy 22.05 – 26.05 2023

1

The week, on 22 - 26 May, there was a study visit to the Mediterranium agronomic institute of Bari (Italy). Its main objective was to present to participants cluster typologies that work for promoting territorial food systems based on local products valorization, multi-stakeholder partnerships, alternative food value chains.

Local stakeholder clusters were chosen and proposed to the participants for their analysis:  “Food District of Sud_Est Barese” and the “Biodistrict delle Lamie”, both around the metropolitan area of Bari. The study tour participants had the opportunity to meet key actors in their territories and to learn more about the cluster’s origins, scopes, partnerships, activities, innovation, and challenges.

The study tour included seminars with experts, interviews and visits to key informants, workshops.

2 3 4

The participants of the study tour visited the farms specialised in the production of the Acquaviva Red Onion, Primitivo Wine and EVO oil, Mozzarella cheese within the territorial agri-food cluster. They had the meetings and interviews with producers, mayors, entrepreneurs and university researchers.

5 6 7

At the end of the study tour participants were awared about the basic conditions needed to set up successful clusters for sustainable farming and agri-food systems development. Specifically, they understood:

  • who are the actors that may take part to a cluster (motivations, roles and duties)
  • what are the roles, duties and activities of the actors 
  • how to set up the clusters and typologies for their governance and financing 
  • how universities and research institutions may support clusters development.

Of particular interest were the topics devoted to the startup mindset to survive in a world that continuously changes and to the sustainability assessment of agro-food products: The case of Apulia region.

8