Arctic Food Innovation Cluster (AFIC) is The Arctic Council’s Sustainable Development Working Group (SDWG) endorsed project for a cluster-based approach to food production and regional economic development.
Finland is participating to the AFIC work through ACAF project. Finland’s AFIC collaboration is lead by ProAgria Lapland.
ProAgria Lapland has started to gather a national network of different actors who can help food processors to develop their business. The aim is to create a business model for a national hub, which can offer support to small and medium-sized enterprises and developers, and connect different stakeholders on different levels to find ways to support food security and safety. At the same time, we collect information about why clustering matters on national, European Union, and Arctic levels.
Task 1: Creating the principles and funding model of Finnish national hub.
Task 2: Implementation of the Finnish hub.
Task 3: Participating in the AFIC initiative.
Next steps and outcomes 2020-21:
Review why clustering matters at the EU level. The aim is to make a short outline of the European Cluster policy.
The first model of principles from the Arctic food innovation cluster.
Read more:
Arctic Food Innovation Cluster webpage
Innovating the Food Industry on the Top of the World (Arctic Council)