Reports

Workshop on SMEs and Nordic Food Competence Centers - Ny Nordisk Mad II / Workshop on food factories and new Nordic foods

Published:

01/05/2012

Authors:

Gunnþórunn Einarsdóttir, Guðjón Þorkelsson

Supported by:

New Nordic Food

Contact

Guðjón Þorkelsson

Strategic Scientist

gudjon.thorkelsson@matis.is

Workshop on SMEs and Nordic Food Competence Centers - New Nordic Mad II / Workshop on food factories and new Nordic foods

All over the Nordic countries, there are food factories that provide entrepreneurs and small producers with advice and access to production facilities. The food factories have organized courses, conferences and helped to form networks and exchange experiences. There are 5 such workshops in Norway that Nofima runs with the support of Innovation Norway. In Iceland, there are three food factories that Matís runs in collaboration with municipalities and business development associations. In Finland, the Food Development Competence Cluster is part of the National Center of Expertise Program and has five food factories around the country. There are many such workshops in Sweden, for example there are counseling centers in Jämtland for farmers who produce milk on a small scale. In the town of Östersund, which was voted "Unesco City of Gastronomy" in 2011, you will find Eldrimner, a national center for small producers in Sweden. In Denmark, there are many different centers with a similar approach, ie. to support entrepreneurs and small producers. The aim of this workshop was for representatives from all these food workshops to meet and learn from each other, build networks and come up with ideas on how activities such as these could support and strengthen "New Nordic Food".

In all Nordic countries there are competence centers that offer entrepreneurs and very small scale producers services like consultation, processing facilities, courses, seminars, networks, work practice exchanges and more. In Norway there are five centers run by Nofima and supported by Innovation Norway. In Iceland there are three runs by Matís in collaboration with local authorities and support agencies. In Finland the Food Development Competence Cluster is a part of the National Center of Expertise Program with five food centers around the country. In Sweden there are many centers for example: Resource center for small scale dairy production in Jamtland. In Östersund the Unesco city of gastronomy 2011 we have „Eldrimner“, the Swedish National Center for Small Scale Artisan Food Processing giving producers the best possible support. In Denmark there are many different centers with the same approach to support entrepreneurs and small scale producers. The aim of this seminar / workshop was to bring the Competence Centers together for two days to get to know and learn from each other; build a network and to discuss and come up with proposals on how these activities can support and strengthen New Nordic Food.

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Reports

QALIBRA Dissemination material for first end-user workshop

Published:

01/12/2009

Authors:

Helga Gunnlaugsdóttir, Jeljer Hoekstra, Marco Zeilmaker, Nynke de Jong, Bas Bokkers, Helen Owen, Andy Hart, Lynn Frewer, Nikos Avouris

Supported by:

European Commission Matís, FERA, RIVM, WU, Upatras, Altagra, INRB IP / IPIMAR

QALIBRA Dissemination material for first end-user workshop

This project report contains promotional materials and teaching materials used in the first stakeholder seminar to present the results and programs developed in the European QALIBRA project. During this course, participants were introduced to and taught a program developed in QALIBRA to assess the risks and benefits of food consumption, as well as the opportunity to try out the program themselves. The course was held on 9-10 September 2009 in Budapest, Hungary. Matís organized and directed the course and also participated in presentations and teaching together with other participants (partners) in the European project QALIBRA There were 31 participants in the course and they came from various stakeholders, including food regulators, health sector, food companies and universities across Europe. Participants submitted an evaluation of the course after that and were generally very pleased with how successful it was and considered the QALIBRA program to assess the risks and benefits of food consumption to offer great potential, as well as pointing out ways to improve it, but aiming for it that the program will be accessible to stakeholders on the World Wide Web when the project is completed.

This report contains the dissemination materials that were used at the first enduser workshop of the QALIBRA project, 9-10 September 2009. These materials are also intended for use in further training activities which may be organized after the end of the Qalibra project. The overall objectives of QALIBRA are to develop a suite of quantitative methods for assessing and integrating beneficial and adverse effects of foods, and make them available to stakeholders as web-based software for assessing and communicating net health impacts. Dissemination of, information about complex systems, such as the integrated assessment methodologies being developed in the Qalibra project, to end-users and stakeholders can be difficult. Similarly, knowledge transfer to potential endusers also represents a challenge. In QALIBRA, end-user uptake is promoted by a systematic program of dissemination activities adapted to the needs of all stakeholders, and by the development of targeted, tested materials and programs that allow use of the system by technical end-users during and after completion of the Qalibra project. To promote end-user uptake of the web-based software developed in QALIBRA, a workshop format is used. This report contains the material used at the first end-user workshop, which was carried out with project partners and 31 prospective end-users from food authorities, food companies and academia from 12 different Member States and 3 Associated States. A post-workshop feedback survey showed a very positive response by the participants, and was also useful in identifying areas for further improvement of the Qalibra tool in the final months of the project.

Report closed until 01.01.2012

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