Copa-Cogeca, together with six partner organisations, has launched a new initiative to help farmers to better market and brand their products and take advantage of new marketing opportunities.
The Farm Inc. scheme is based on Latvia’s Proud Farmer project which was set up to improve skills training and help Latvian farmers to market their products within the EU.
“Agricultural businesses and farms are increasingly challenged by a rapidly changing business environment and an increased global competition,” Copa-Cogeca said in a statement. “The vast majority of European agricultural entrepreneurs which are small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) need to find new ways to compete with the international network and structures of multi-national companies. Innovative marketing methods and tools can be a step to support SMEs and increase their knowledge and bargaining power.”
The organisation said a lack of marketing strategies such as regional branding was preventing SMEs to take advantage for EU demand for local, high quality products.
The Farm Inc. project, which will run for 23 months, aims to help agricultural entrepeneurs to gain a better understanding of marketing and improve branding, while also providing help and support in opening up new export markets.
It will provide help and support to SMEs and improve the quality and tools of the existing continuous vocational education and training (VET) in the agricultural sector in the participating countries.
