Experts from 7 EU countries met in West Region Romania within a project dedicated to the agrifood sector – NICHE

Experts from seven European countries met in in Timisoara,  West Region Romania, within  a project aimed to develope the food sector. The project, entitled "NICHE - Building innovative food value chains in regions" is a collaboration between West Region Romania, Border Region in Ireland, Northern Ireland region in UK, Tartu Region in Estonia, South Ostrobothnia Region in Finland, Kujawasko-Pomorskie Region in Poland and Crete Region of Greece.

West Regional Development Agency (RDA West) is in Romania the only leader organization of a project funded under the first call for proposals of the Interreg Programme Europe 2014-2020. The project started on April 1st, 2016 and will be implemented during a period of four years.

Each project partner will come with their own expertise and experience as subsequently to be able to  improve the food sector in each participating region so that it becomes a competitive European and global market and grow through innovation - to ensure sustainable development.

The project will be implemented with the support of the agrifood market (private or state companies, local and regional public authorities, universities, research centers, NGOs) in the seven partner regions. These actors will be able, being involved in the project and participating in internships, to develop their skills, to implement more efficient production models, to improve their marketing and distribution strategies  or even to develop new services or business models.

"NICHE - Developing innovative value chains in the food sector" project was conceived as a response to the need of the West Region to develop the food sector, need coming as a result of West Region's Smart Specialization Strategy. The current situation of the sector in West Region is one with predominant use of obsolete technologies and traditional production methods characterized in large proportion, by manual labor.

The first meeting of the project, involving all partners, was held in Timisoara at West RDA headquarters, on May 12, 2016.