REFRAME - Towards a Regional Food Frame

Who, what and when

The REFRAME project started in 2015 and will run until February 2021 with the participation of 5 partner countries (Belgium, Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands, Germany).

Background and goals

REFRAME is a project that works towards creating growth through regional thinking among food related SMEs, which in the project is called adopting a regional food frame. The purpose of the project is to take steps towards creating better conditions for food related SMEs in rural areas by promoting a local approach. These steps entail combining innovation in food production with the development of rural areas by re-establishing local infrastructures and co-operation for food production, marketing and consumption. Furthermore, the aim is to heighten the awareness about regional food supply and demand as well as nudging local governments and large-scale consumers to procure food regionally.

The potential benefits of the project are many, among which can be mentioned:

• Increase in rural communities of economic value added in the many steps from field to fork

• Increase in local occupation and in-migration of highly qualified individuals

• Diversification of food qualities based on production adapted to local conditions and traditions

• Development of principles of more sustainable food production.

The partners of the project establish regional living laboratories to demonstrate the economical feasibility of the REFRAME approach in regional communities. We develop methods to solve bottlenecks and principles to stimulate establishment of these local infrastructures. In addition, we will present and communicate the regional benefits and principles developed to stimulate this approach of regional development to the rest of the world.