315º
Foods is a regional food programme covering the counties of Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim
and Sligo. The overall aim of the project is to assist in the development of a
competitive and innovative food sector within the region. This aim will be achieved
through the following objectives:-
1.
Establishing and supporting a sustainable food sector network within the North
West region.
2. Developing the capability of business within the region and
providing new opportunities for learning, knowledge sharing and new trade sales
through exporting.
3. Internationalisation - providing opportunities to experience
and learn about and from international best practice.
4. Promoting a recognisable
identity for the programme and the network and to actively promote its activities. |
The
programme itself consists of a range of activities, identified during an initial
audit of food businesses in the North West and include practical awareness raising,
business support activities, formal opportunities for business networking, overseas
best practice visits,as well as one to one mentoring and overseas best practice
visits. The
initial internationalisation element of the programme was funded by SEUPB under
the Outward and Forward Looking Measure. Additional funding was accessed and provided
by the partners for the two year programme. For the next twelve months the focus
will be on developing the regional food network, the delivery of a cross border
conference, enhancing the skills of participant companies and supporting innovation,
as well as raising awareness of the programme through the publication of a range
of information and promotion material.
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This
project is seen as a platform to develop sustainable partnerships between ENI
and similar enterprise networks in Republic of Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales
and Europe. They intend to achieve this through the three key elements described
below.
- Partnership
Europe - which will support network development through exchange of best practice;
direct staff study visits; development of electronic media to facilitate information
exchange; and publication of a newsletter;
- The
Observatory - which will be a Research and Policy Programme to facilitate the
collection, analysis and dissemination of information on a European level on issues
which directly affect the competitiveness and capacity of the micro business sector
and enterprise support practitioners; and
- Tradebridge
- which will facilitate contact between 60 micro-businesses in Northern Ireland
with export opportunities in the Republic of Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales
and Europe as a means of improving competitiveness and accessing new markets.
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