51
the
whole Mediterranean basin, including the southern shore.
LESSON LEARNT
Involving the SMES in research-training-innovation systems: the case of Mediterranean dairy products
In a context of extreme pressure on southern Mediterranean countries food markets –direct
consequence of the rapid population growth and recent changes in consumption patterns, the agri-food
sector is emerging as a central element for the harmonious development of the euro-Mediterranean
region. The dairy sector, mostly based on small and medium enterprises (SMES), is producing large
varieties of products, often with unique qualities derived from Mediterranean culinary heritage and local
knowledge. It contributes to improve the food nutritional balance, provides value-added to farmers and
creates rural employment. However, most of the small companies operate in an informal setting, with
lack of efficiency and with recurrent food safety problems.
The LACTIMED project has been supported by ENPI-CBC MED PROGRAMME from 2012 to 2015. This
project brought together various private and public partners from six Mediterranean countries: EGYPT,
LEBANON, GREECE, TUNISIA, ITALY, FRANCE, with the objective to foster the production and distribution
of typical and innovative dairy products in the Mediterranean, by organising local value chains,
supporting producers in their development projects and creating new markets for their products.
Besides training actions and the establishment of marketing tools and guidelines, the project has
produced very concrete results in terms of enterprises clustering and new entrepreneurs emergence.
More than 100 SMEs producers have been involved in promotion and commercialisation actions,
allowing them to promote and sell their dairy products. Eight pilot clusters have been developed around
priorities such as quality, innovation, commercialisation and access to finance for SMEs. 38
entrepreneurs have been mentored on their projects development and the 10 most innovative ones
benefited from a specific grant. Such experience shows the importance of creating networks of
stakeholders bringing together private sector, public authorities, academic institutions and civil society,
and provides a basis for further developments Http://www.lactimed.eu/en
LESSON LEARNT
Project title
Natural antioxidants of Olive Milling Wastewater (FAIR CT97-3039)
Funding Agency: European Union
Period: 1998-2006
Partners: Italy, France, Spain,
Portugal, Turkey
Objectives of the action:
The objective was to improve the knowledge on the biological activities of antioxidant phenols obtained
from olive oil processing wastewater, and to define procedures for their extraction and valorization as
health food supplements and/or
natural food antioxidant
Results and impacts:
As a result of the project a patent (PCT/02/02348) was obtained and registered. This patent was licensed
to Tuyap, a Turkish company, which applied the new technology for extracting the bioactive components
from olive oil wastewaters producing high quality extracts for the Middle East markets. The Turkish
company paid a royalty to the whole project partnership. Over 100kEur of royalties deriving from the
project has been generated.
52
Within PRIMA
Pillar 3 “Mediterranean food value chain for regional and local development”, operational
objectives are clearly priorities and will stem into an associated temporal plan of activities, herewith
represented:
Table 9. –PRIMA Pillar 3 themes
Pillar 3
themes to be addressed
Orienting youths and industry towards sustainable
competitive business models
The PRIMA DIS
will ensure that a detailed
prioritisation of the activities within each subtheme is
defined and reflected in Annual Work Programmess.
Such prioritization will be developed on the basis of
the SRIA and of the specific input of the Member
States and MPCs participating to PRIMA Initiative.
Valorising food products from traditional Mediterranean
diet
Food safety in local food chains, health risk and hazards
assessment
Organisation and coordination in the food chains for
improving efficiency and waste valorisation
Integration of smallholders into formal supply chains
Health effects of the dietary shifts and promoting healthy
diet for the Med populations
Activities within PRIMA Pillar 3 are meant to target these priorities set of outcomes to be part of the
exploitation potential of the PRIMA initiative. Associated, a prioritisation of the activities needed
to achieve
the expected impacts is summarised.
The first type of activity foreseen for PRIMA Pillar 3 concerns networking (indicatively Year 1-2), after that
Research, Innovation activities and pilot studies are planned (indicatively Y 2-10). In parallel to the activation
of R&I activities., training and outreach activities (indicatively Y 2-10) )will be carried out and accompany the
development of the R&I activities.
Table 10. –PRIMA Pillar 3 targets and activities
PRIMA
Operational
objectives
Main target
Prioritisation of activities needed for PRIMA impact
3
New processes and technologies
to increase nutritional quality of
foods and better exploit raw
materials
Novel plant varieties
Novel formulation methods and
ingredients
Innovative foods to enhance
health
and wellbeing
Enhanced approaches to
distribution,
logistics, and policy
support to sustainable local food
production
Research projects
SME partnership
Capacity building
and training
Innovation projects
Dissemination and outreach
4
Optimization of transportation
and logistics in
the food and
water supply systems
Research projects
Capacity building and training
Innovation projects