AGROSMARTglobal

PRESENTATION

AGROSMARTglobal is a European Project co-financed by the Interreg Sudoe 2014-2020 Program, within the Prioritary Axis 2: Promoting the competitiveness and internationalization of the SMEs of Southwest Europe (SUDOE space).

Its main objective is to consolidate the space for interconnection, interaction and competitiveness of the Southwest-European agrifood-cooperatives through the development of advanced support processes, tolos and services that facilitate positioning, promotion and intelligent international expansión via digital marketing strategies that rely on inter-company cooperation.

The AGROSMARTglobal Project «Space for the competitiveness, promotion and intelligent international expansión of agrifood-cooperatives in the rural Southwest-Europe area» covers 10 regions of the Southwest Europe area (Galicia, Castilla-La Mancha, the Basque Country and La Rioja – Spain, Nouvelle-Aquitaine – France and Norte, Algarve, Centro, Lisboa and Alentejo – Portugal) and aims to alleviate the disadvantages of rural areas and to favour their development and economic cohesion. The project will pursue these goals through the generation of capacities and the search for more efficient and effective transnational solutions to support the agri-food cooperatives in their specific needs in order to improve competitiveness by way of the creation and consolidation of networks and services to support internationalization.

The project’s kickoff took place in Santiago de Compostela (Galicia – Spain) on October 29, 2019.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

Support the digital internationalization of the Soutwest-European agri-food cooperatives, taking benefit of the advantages offered by new technologies and the evaluation of electronic commerce at an international level.

Promote the positioning of the agri-food products of the Southwest-European cooperatives in the international market, relying on their endogenous nature and quality and protecting products under Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) and Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) labels, as well as organic products on the Internet.

Strengthen the association of the Soutwest-European cooperative tissue and the creation of alliances with professionals in the destination market in order to facilitate international promotion and expansion via inter-company cooperation and networking.

BUDGET

The AGROSMARTglobal project has a total budget of € 1.591.122,10 € and is 75% co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

PROJECT DURATION

MONTHS

from October 1, 2019 to March 31, 2023.

ACTIVITIES AND EXPECTED RESULTS

1. Analysis of the adaptative capacity and the capacity of differentiation of the agri-food cooperatives of the Southwest Europe space in the current international market.

Identification of intrinsic elements of Southwest Europe cooperative agri-food products and actions to protect and support the GIs and ecological products of cooperatives on the Internet.
Definition of strategies for the digital internationalization of these products in two target markets (China and the USA).
Creation of a transnational work network that provides information, knowledge and adapted ideas, for the benefit of Southwest Europe agri-food cooperatives.
Establishment of basis for a collective brand of agricultural cooperatives from Southwest Europe.
Definition of measures to protect and promote GIs and green specifications in digital markets.
Application of market intelligence to define the best strategy for introducing the products of agri-food cooperatives in the markets.

2. Creation of support services for the digital internationalization andthe development of business models for smart commercialization.

Design and implementation of support services for digital internationalization (technical consulting and pilot projects) aimed at agri-food cooperatives in Southwest Europe.
Consolidation and optimization of the AGROSMARTcoop web portal, with new content in the AgroLab and the Virtual Intercooperation Community.
Consolidation and provision of new content to ICT tools designed to promote learning about digital marketing and internationalization.
Implementation of technical consulting services on digital internationalization and on access to international digital markets.
Implementation of comprehensive digital internationalization services focused on China and the USA through the B2B marketplace, with the identification of new opportunities for agri-food cooperatives in Southwest Europe.

3. Actions to boost knowledge in digital marketing and promote inter-cooperation for smart internationalization.

Results: Design and execution of a joint training program.
Carrying out awareness-raising and networking actions on the thematic areas of the project, as well as developing joint actions for the international promotion of cooperative agri-food products and the creation of strategic alliances.
An innovative joint training program about international digital markets, trade negotiation techniques and digital communication aimed at the agri-food cooperative sector.
Creation of a favourable framework for inter-company cooperation to promote global strategic alliances , smart marketing and internationalization projects.
Promotion of the quality of cooperatives’ products and services, together with the endogenous nature of their resources as a source of differentiation.
Guarantee of the continuity and reproducibility of the activities, products and results of the project

PROJECT PRODUCTS

They will mainly benefit the agri-food cooperatives of the SUDOE space and will consist of:

Joint Strategic Plan for the digital internationalization of small and medium agricultural cooperatives in the SUDOE territory
Technical consultancy for digital internationalization
Pilot projects regarding Digital internationalization
Joint education and training program in digital internationalization
Joint campaign for the promotion and international positioning of the products of agri-food cooperatives

INNOVATIVE CHARACTER

The main innovative aspect is that the project makes use of the Internet as a basis to facilitate the export of products: smart marketing. The project introduces the digital internationalization of cooperatives in the SUDOE space. It is the first project that will try to improve the conditions of internationalization and positioning of its products through the use of new technologies, while also addressing the internationalization process from a standpoint of cooperation, seen as a key resource to implement advanced support mechanisms and services, and smart international marketing strategies aimed at markets like China and the USA.