Project

Central Finland Food Network Cooperation Project

Project sponsors

Abbreviation
KEVE
Project type
Development project
Focus area
Bioeconomy
Implementation time
1.4.2022 - 31.1.2024
Project unit
School of Business
Financing program
Rural Development Programme for Mainland Finland
Primary home page
https://www.aitomaaseutu.fi/hankkeet/keski-suomen-ruokaverkosto-yhteistyohanke-…
Project description
Central Finland Food Network Cooperation Project (KEVE) 1 April 2022 - 31 January 2024

The purpose of the Central Finland Food Network Cooperation Project was to continue the long-term development work of the Central Finland food sector as an even more network-like activity. The goal was that in the future 'the food chain is a food network of operators of different sizes'. The task of the project was to coordinate and promote the operation of the network, crossing industry boundaries.

The project had three main goals, which are based on the priority areas selected for the strategic period 2022–2027 for the development of Central Finland's food network.

    Goal 1 Strengthening networked cooperation
    Goal 2 Promoting the responsible and sustainable operation of the food network

    Goal 3 Strengthening the effectiveness of the food network and communication

The project promoted development measures for the production, processing and use of local food, as well as food export and food tourism. Attention was paid especially to the sustainability and responsibility of processing operations. At the same time, the aim was to identify province's typical 'own' problems, both at the company level and at the general level, and start a discussion about them and search for solutions.

The project managed by Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences was implemented in cooperation with The Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners (MTK) of Central Finland, ProAgria of Central Finland and Regional Council of Central Finland. The project was related to the Rural Development Program of Mainland Finland and was funded by the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment of Central Finland through the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.

More information
Project Manager Leena Pölkki, +358 50 4011 894, [email protected]
Facebook @ksruokaketju aitomaaseutu.fi/hankkeet/keve

Project results
Cooperation of the Central Finland Food Network

The Central Finland Food Network was a cooperation project of Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences, MTK Central Finland, ProAgria Central Finland and the Central Finland Association, focusing on the coordinated development of rural Central Finland. The Central Finland Food Network Cooperation Project continued the long-term development work of the Central Finland food sector as an even more network-like activity. In accordance with the goal, the development and perspective were expanded from a food chain to a food network of operators of different sizes. The project aimed to identify and make even complex network-like influence relationships visible. The project also fulfilled its task as a coordinator of the provincial food sector and a promoter of network activities that cross industry boundaries.

The project, which lasted just under two years, promoted, planned and implemented development measures for the production, processing and use of local food, as well as food export and food tourism. Attention was paid especially to the sustainability and responsibility of processing operations. At the same time, the province's typical 'own' problems were identified, both at the company level and at the general level and started discussions about them and searching for solutions in different contexts. During the project, rural and food network entrepreneurship and operational opportunities were promoted by sharing the latest current information, making the industry and its challenges visible and bringing actors together.

Up-to-date information about the industry

In the project, an extensive company interview was carried out for the province's processing food and food tourism companies. 47 companies and a total of 57 people participated in the interviews. The company interviews resulted in a report, The current state and future of food and food tourism companies in Central Finland. The interviews themselves functioned as trust builders in the direction of the entrepreneurs and provided an immediate channel for interaction. The measure has accelerated the survival of central Finnish processing micro and SME food companies, food tourism companies and food services in the prevailing challenges caused by the Covid-19 and the war in Ukraine by showing support and bringing them into conversation with the entrepreneurs themselves.

The statistical compilation of central Finland's processing food companies for the national statistics was made in July-September 2023. The results have been published on the aitojamakuja.fi website in 2023 and the infographics in January 2024 (Food sector coordination project).

Central Finland Food Forum

In the project, all actors of the Central Finland food network with their interfaces were invited to cooperate and build a provincial structured food forum. The Central Finland Food Forum was represented by: The Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners (MTK) of Central Finland, ProAgria of Central Finland, Regional Council of Central Finland , Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences (Jamk), Gradia, POKE, University of Jyväskylä, Central Finland Villages, Visit Jyväskylä Region, entrepreneur members, Chef Association of Central Finland, public professional kitchens, regional development companies and Leader action groups. There was a total of 68 people on the group's mailing list. The meetings of the food forums were closely interactive and informative events with 17–28 participants. The discussion was lively, and impact was created directly, for example, in the form of follow-up meetings and activities of entrepreneurs and researchers. As a joint measure, a statement was produced: Everything expensive is here (this phrase comes from a central Finland folk song) - there are untapped opportunities in the Central Finland food network (Central Finland Food Forum 1/2024). Publication in Aitoja makuja magazine (aitojamakuja.fi) 14 February 2024.

Proceedings

The project produced three text-based publications: The current state and future of Central Finland's food tourism companies report (2023), an article on the main results of the interview report (Jamk Arena 2024 publication) and the article Impact and results in food exports with long-term work (Aitoja makuja magazine publication 14 February 2024). In addition, recordings were made of expert talks, How do we work to ensure that there is enough food? - from the workshop on 1 December 2022 and What does the future of the food industry in Central Finland look like? - event on 18 December 2023. The latter video was only available for two weeks in accordance with the guidelines of the Accessibility Directive, as the video did not have subtitles.