FOCUS-BALKANS Food Consumer Science in the Balkans: Frameworks, - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

FOCUS-BALKANS Food Consumer Science in the Balkans: Frameworks, Protocols and Networks for a better knowledge of food behaviours

A Research EU-Programme funded through the FP7

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A Research EU-Programme funded through the FP7

Duration: 3 years Begin: 1.1.2008

Project Call

KBBE-2007-2-1-02: Developing research tools for food consumer science in the Western Balkan Countries Call: FP7-KBBE-2007-1

The countries of the Western Balkans (WBC) have little tradition in consumer science related to food, but are showing increasing interest in this field. Research should focus on developing research tools for assessing consumer behaviour of the WBC populations within this area. Capacity building and support to consumer food science should be fostered through an integrated information exchange, technology transfer and education

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through an integrated information exchange, technology transfer and education programme. This might include not only support and assistance to the research/education sector but also to consumer organisations in the area. Research should focus on a specific geographical area with homogeneous socio-cultural behaviour.

Funding scheme: Small collaborative project

Expected impact

Determination of consumer behaviours (drivers and determinants) in the countries of the Western Balkans and Black Sea Region; Contribution to regional and European nutrition and health policies; Increased dialogue between consumers and food producers, including industry, in the area;

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in the area; Enhanced cooperation in the area of consumer science with EU and neighbouring countries; Contribution to consumer policy making, in particular in the areas related to health, nutrition and food safety, relevant to the Health and Consumer Protection Directorate General.

How is the project born ?

January 2007: Preliminary discussions between AGRIDEA and SEEDEV Then between AGRIDEA and ENITAC, then between AGRIDEA and GEM GEM gave an decisive OK in giving time for the technical preparation Decision was taken to prepare together a bid Contacts have been taken with Wageningen, EcoZept, Newcastle and Parma. SEEDEV have taken all the contacts in the Balkan countries through his broad network.

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SEEDEV have taken all the contacts in the Balkan countries through his broad network. Bid was deposed at beginnig of May, and we got an positive answer at the end of septembre 2007. We negotiate the contract since this date.

Stakes regarding consumer science in the WBC

• Quick transition from a State-driven to a market-driven economy
• New role of new institutions, but still weak. For instance, consumer associations are

new and do not have yet a strong position

• Gaps between vulnerable social groups and wealthiest population segments

continue to increase.

– Dietary habits remain to be less favorable than in other European countries, and the average life expectancy is 73 in the WBC vs. 80 in 15-EU old Member-States.

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expectancy is 73 in the WBC vs. 80 in 15-EU old Member-States.

• Dietary habits are likely changing fast

– Distribution channels are evolving very strongly with the increase of the big retailors. For example, new industrial products replace traditional food. Consequences about food regimes could be defavorable.

• Needs to better understand the trends of consumption, to make the knowledge

related to consumer science available to a large public of scientits.

General Objective of the FOCUS-BALKANS Project

To improve competencies and understanding in the field of food consumer science in the Balkan countries.

This will result in a stronger participation of WBC scientists in

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This will result in a stronger participation of WBC scientists in projects related to food consumer science and in an increased number of publications related to food consumer science in the WBC in consumer science other scientific journals. The project beneficiaries aim to be active in food consumer science in their country and region.

Partners

* Steering committee

AGRIDEA, CH * GEM, FRANCE * LEI, NETHERLANDS * ENITA-C, FRANCE * UNEW, UNITED SEEDEV, SERBIA * SMMRI, SERBIA * BEL, SERBIA * ZAG, CROATIA * RIHP, FYRoM UL – SLO, SLOVENIA

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UNEW, UNITED KINDOM PARMA, ITALY ECOZEPT, GERMANY UL – SLO, SLOVENIA BIH, BOSNIA IPH MNE, MONTENEGRO

Management structure

G en eral A ssem b ly

project m anagem ent issues P roject A dvisory B

• ard

P

• art. 1

P

• art. 5

P

• art. 3

P

• art. 2

P

• art. 4

P

• art. 7

P

• art. 8

P

• art. 6

E U C

• m

m ission S teering C

• m

m ittee P artners 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

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A G R ID E A LE I S M M R I S E E D E V G E M B E L Z A G E N IT A C W P 12 W P 1 W P 2 W P 3 W P 4 W P 6 W P 7 W P 8 SE E D E V, E N ITAC B E L, ZA G B E L, R IH P, U L- SLO , B iH , IP H M N E , ZA G SM M RI, B E L, R IH P, U L-SLO , B iH , IP H M N E, ZA G EN ITA-C , E C O ZE P T, LE I G EM , SM M R I, IP H M N E EC O ZE P T, G E M U L-SLO , U N EW , PA R M A W P 11 W P 5 W P 9 W P 10 U L-SLO , SE E D E V R IH P, P AR M A , B iH RIH P , IP H M N E , LE I, A G R ID E A

Steering Committe

The Steering Committee (SC) will provide scientific and decision making support to the project coordinator. It is the main decision making body within the project and will meet for project guidelines and orientation at strategic milestones. The composition of the steering committee will reflect the implication in the project of the different partners as WP leader. Its tasks includes:

• ensuring fluent communication between partners all along the project,
• giving managerial guidance to the coordinator,

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• giving managerial guidance to the coordinator,
• reviewing all project advancement, support services and dissemination activities.

The Steering Committee will only be composed of those beneficiaries in order to avoid a too large number of participants and to allow a better flexibility and decision making process within the project implementation. Important strategies and choices related to the conduct of the project will be presented to the General Assembly.

General Assembly Consortium Agreement

The General Assembly implying all the beneficiaries, will meet once a year during the duration of the project. It will be a space for dialogue and discussions more than a decision structure. It will allow all the beneficiaries to meet at some point. A written consortium agreement will prevent the conflicts and establish the

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A written consortium agreement will prevent the conflicts and establish the rules of the conflicts. Conciliation of interests within the Consortium will be settled by dialogue under the coordinator's supervision; if necessary, individual vote in the Steering Committee will have the ultimate voice. This will be finalised by Month 2 – Nov 2008

Project Advisory Board

The steering committee (SC) will profit from the expertise of 5 to 10 key-experts (PAB), who will be invited to join part of some of the SC meetings.

• These people are installed in the region, active in Ministries, international agencies or in NGOs. The PAB

also includes main actors in the project related field: national institutions officers involved in the food industry/production, marketing and consumer experts, stakeholders having experience in the practical evaluation of consumer behaviour towards food, nutritionists, academics and private experts in this field.

They will do the link with the international agencies and with the major NGOs promoting

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They will do the link with the international agencies and with the major NGOs promoting public health, agriculture and food industry in the region. They are also expected to give feed-back to the consortium about the relevance of the results, to give legitimacy and allow the enlargement of the network, to participate in the

• pen seminars and to encourage the participation to the trainings.

Researcher thematic groups

Some researchers from other institutions than the beneficiaries will be associated to the project, in order to:

• strengthen the project research network with additional resources;
• enlarge the integration of the project research network in a wider research network on the same topics in the
• ther EU member countries (such as the new member countries which also have to formulate new policies

and regulations in food production, public health and consumer protection and which are facing similar problems) and out of Europe;

• facilitate the development of research activities on the same topics, especially by young scientists;

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• facilitate the development of research activities on the same topics, especially by young scientists;
• extend the geographical, institutional and scientific coverage of the project, aiming at enhancing the

dissemination of the project’s results.

The AR will be proposed by partners and recognised as such by the SC. This aspect will be linked with the networking national meetings. Their functions and the extent for them to be informed about the project will be agreed within the consortium agreement.

What will do the consortium ?

• The partners will implement actions to be abble to achieve the objectives

– Guide-lines will be established by the co-ordinators for each task – Work is defined according work-packages

• A partner is responsible for a certain work-package, with help of assistants and

participants – General coordinator is responsible to provide all the partners with all the general needed informations and to disseminate the results – Partner in charge of work-package is responsible to provide partners with

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– Partner in charge of work-package is responsible to provide partners with specific information and needed guide-line and time-table

• For the methodological considerations, GEM, together with ENITA-C, ECOZEPT and

LEI will animate a worging group to establish common terminology and build up the specific methods

• For network building, SEEDEV will establish the Balkan network for Food Consumer
• Science. The animation of this network will be taken over after the end of the project.

Our Philosophy The research, training and networking activities are intimately interlinked and will have strong synergies

• Formal trainings will be organised for key research organisations in the WBCs to

enable them to become familiar with state of the art methodologies, practical techniques and theories. The training activities, organised in each WBC, target a wide range of organisations from the public and private research sectors, NGOs & consumer associations. 6 regional training meetings will be designed by the project partners and associated organisations.

• Four studies on niche markets plus one quantitative survey will systematically be

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• Four studies on niche markets plus one quantitative survey will systematically be

conducted by WBC organisations as a mechanism for learning-by-doing.

• Two open seminars will bring together a wider spectrum of stakeholders including

food supply chains representatives and policy-makers.

• Altogether, these actors will be invited to participate in the “Balkan Network for Food

Consumer Science”, which will seek to stimulate regional and interdisciplinary co-

• peration.

State of the Art (LEI with BEL and ZAG)

What has been published in Consumer Science regarding Western Balkan Countries ?

To prepare a global overview of consumer and market oriented studies and statistical data in the Balkans, identifying missing gaps and developing a conceptual framework as a basis for this project; To integrate the methods and knowledge from the various WP’s into a consistent overall approach – referred to as the conceptual framework. Deliverables

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Deliverables

D1.1 National report of the theoretical approaches, the methods, markets and consumer studies already available in each WBC concerned by the project for the six countries under review. Month 6 – April 2009 D1.2 Description of “State of the art” of the theoretical approaches, the methods, markets and consumer studies to be improved and disseminated. Month 12 – Sept 2009

Consumer Science Knowledge system in the WBC (SMMRI, with BEL, RIPH, UL-SLO, BiH, IPH MNE, ZAG) Identification of the core and satellite actors to be involved in the project

WP1 will provide a description of the knowledge system of consumer research related to food in the WBC (identification of the core and satellite actors to be involved in the network between specialists in food consumer science). The general purpose of this WP is, besides scanning the current situation, also the identification of the most relevant

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is, besides scanning the current situation, also the identification of the most relevant players in food consumer science. The aim of this WP is to scan and describe the current situation in WBC.

Deliverables D2.1 Analysis of the current situation within the knowledge system including collaborations between the specific fields in all the concerned countries. Month 6 – April 2009 D2.2 Database of relevant institutions and organisations identified as units of the Balkan Food Consumer Science knowledge system. Month 6 – April 2009

Networking (SEEDEV, with SMMRI, BEL, ZAG, RIPH, UL-SLO, BIH, IPH MNE)

Development of a network of universities, institutes, high schools, consumer

• rganisations, consumer associations, NGOs and private enterprises active in the field
• f consumer science related to food

The objective of the networking activities will be to better define the role of the consumer associations in relation to consumer protection and to promote fair practices in food trade and product quality – and, as such, to invite them as well. This network should allow: To better understand and build the supply chains policies and strategies on the one side,

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basing their development and structuring on their knowledge about the consumers’ preferences and the market opportunities; and To better orientate the nutrition and health policies on the other side. Deliverables

D 3.1 First annual report on networking activities. Sept 2009. D 3.2 Second annual report on networking activities. Sept 2010. D 3.3 Final report on networking activities. Sept 2011.

Methodological considerations (GEM, with ENITA-C, ECOZEPT, LEI) Fine tuning of tools and guidelines

The objective of WP 4 is to organise the WP 5 to 9 on the basis of the State of the Art. The scope of the survey, the methodology and the main tools of each survey are to be accurately defined upstream of each survey together with each of the WP leaders. An appropriate work plan of each work package implementation will be prepared. A methodological follow-up will ensure surveys consistency. The main goals are to obtain the consumer surveys methodology and general conception and a description of the different steps for the implementation of protocols and their adaptation to local

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different steps for the implementation of protocols and their adaptation to local conditions.

The methodologies used in each case study WP (5, 6, 7, 8 and 9) vary from one WP to the other in so far as they may be of different nature (qualitative and quantitative) but also because a certain liberty is given to the WP leader

• n these aspects. It will furthermore allow the WBC beneficiaries to experience the whole panel of food consumer

sciences methodologies. Deliverables D4.1 Description by country of the methodology to be adopted in WP5 and WP6. Month 8: May 2009 D4.2 Description by country of the methodology to be adopted in WP7 and WP8. Month 17 : Fev 2010 D4.3 Description by country of the methodology to be adopted in WP9. Month 24 : Sept 2010

4 main topics for Consumer’s and market’s studies

• Consumer study implementation for fruits and

nutrition balance

• Consumer study implementation for products with

health claims

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• Consumer expectations towards organic products
• Consumers’ attitudes, expectations and behaviours

towards traditional food

Consumer study implementation for fruits and nutrition balance (LEI, with RIPH, PARMA)

• To elaborate a state of the art regarding the consumption of fresh and processed

fruits in the Balkans on the basis of WP 1 general results and draw conclusions concerning the execution of this WP 5.

• To explore, analyze and understand motivations related to the purchase and

consumption of fruits and processed fruit products in different situations or consumption moments.

• To identify the role and barriers to fruit consumption and consumer characteristics in

relation to nutrition

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relation to nutrition

• To identify the position of fruit and processed fruit in a well–balanced diet from

Balkan consumers perspective.

• To give an insight of the Balkan producing fruit industry and their market

expectations

• To provide inputs for WPs 9, 10 and 11.

Deliverables D 5.1 Report on the production and consumption of fruits and fruit products in the Balkans. Fev 2010. D 5.2 Study report on consumer motivations and behaviours for fruits and fruit products in the Balkans. Fev 2010.

Consumer study implementation for products with health claims (BEL, with GEM, SMMRI, IPH MNE)

The main purpose of WP6 is to identify the image and values that are given to health food product by local consumers. A specific attention will be put on the global health and food worlds, the places and occasions appropriate for dietetic products consumption (social factors), the factors of this consumption (food habits, health concerns, prices, products availability, taste, etc.) and the resulting expectations and behaviours regarding those products. The expected results are the identification of the main firms and quantification of the

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The expected results are the identification of the main firms and quantification of the main markets to be studied. It will be focused on products marketed through specialised channels and on products selected in supermarkets. This will allow the project beneficiaries to have a first panorama of the situation. Deliverables D6.1 Study report on consumer motivations and behaviours for products with health

• claims. Fev 2010

Consumer expectations towards organic products (ZAG, with ECOZEPT, GEM)

A better assessment of the consumer demand and expectations for organic products; The state of the art on the current situation of organic production (animal and plant production); The panoply of raw and processed organic products issued from domestic production; The main domestic marketing channels and the importance of exports and imports; The trends and market evolution for organic products on domestic and main export markets;

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markets; Measures to enhance the development of the domestic organic products market. Deliverables D7.1 National report per country on the organic production on the basis of bibliography and data collection. May 2010 D7.2 Market data, market trends and consumer behaviour report for organic product in the WBC. Month 25. May 2010

Consumers’ attitudes, expectations and behaviours towards traditional food (ENITA-C, with UL-SLO, UNEW, PARMA)

The main objective of WP8 is to check the WBC consumers’ attitudes, expectations and behaviour towards traditional and local food products. Thus, WP8 aims to:

• measure the attitudes towards traditional and local food products expressed by

Balkan consumers,

• assess the purchasing behaviour of WBC consumers for traditional and local food

products,

• identify specific segments of consumers sensitive to traditional and local food

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• identify specific segments of consumers sensitive to traditional and local food

products. Deliverables D8.1 Study report on consumer attitudes, expectations and behaviours towards traditional food. Month 30 : March 2011

Consumer quantitative survey (SMMRI, with RIPH, IPH MNE, BiH)

The general objective is the analysis of the drivers and determinants of food consumption behaviour in the WBC. The aim of this WP is to measure the quantitative aspects that are identified in the four qualitative consumer studies, WP 5,6,7,8. In this part also capacity building aspects in research method related to food will be implemented through several activities (questionnaire preparation, fieldwork execution, report preparation). The main purpose of this work package is, eventually to quantify with the same

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The main purpose of this work package is, eventually to quantify with the same methodology the different aspects of food behaviour, image and values that are given to food product by local consumers and that would have been identified in the previous case studies work packages.

Deliverables D9.1 Report with frequencies and basic socio-demographic cross-tabulations with key findings and indication of statistical significance (SMMRI KAL). Month 30 : March 2011 D9.2 Summary presentation of main results. Month 30 : March 2011 D9.3 Datasets in SPSS or ASCII format. Month 30 : March 2011

Educational Programme (SEEDEV, with LEI, AGRIDEA) Trainings

WP10 will build up the competences in the WBC public organisations, private enterprises and NGO’s regarding the understanding of consumer science related to food and of consumer food choices and behaviours. Deliverables D 10.1: Training first year report. Month 12. D 10.2: Training second and third year report. Month 30.

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D 10.2: Training second and third year report. Month 30. The training reports will include the training curricula, the lists of participants, the minutes of the trainings as well as the evaluation of the different trainings by the participants.

Dissemination of the results (AGRIDEA, with UL-SLO, SEEDEV)

WP11 will spread out the knowledge, concerns and awareness in the Balkan countries towards public organisations, private enterprises, NGOs and within the civil society regarding health, nutrition and food safety including food consumer behaviours and food production issues. Deliverables

D11.1 Web site with a special part of the FOCUS-BALKANS website in the Macedonian, Slovenian

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D11.1 Web site with a special part of the FOCUS-BALKANS website in the Macedonian, Slovenian and Serbo-Croatian languages. Month 3 – Dec 2009 D11.2 Report on previous dissemination activities and conception for sustainable networking and dissemination related to consumer sciences in the WBC. Month 17 Feb 2010 D11.3 One leaflet at the beginning and one at the end of the project in English, Serbo-Croatian, Macedonian and Slovenian – and policy recommendations letters. Month 36. Sept 2011 D 11.4 Final plan for the use and dissemination of foreground. Month 36. Sept 2011 D 11.5 Awareness and wider societal implications report. Month 36. Sept 2011

Planning

Month

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36

WP1 State of the art D1.1 D1.2 WP2 Knowledge system D2.1, .2

TASK 2

WP3 Networking D3.1 D3.2 D3.3 WP4 Methodology D4.1 D4.2 D4.3 WP5 Fruits & Nutrition D5.1,.2 WP6 Health Allegation Food D6.1 WP7 Organic D7.1 D7.2 WP8 Traditional D8.1 WP9 Quantitative survey D9.1,.2,.3

TASK 4

WP10 Training D10.1 D10.2

YEAR 2 YEAR 3

TASK 1 Theoretical frames TASK 3 Consumers studies

YEAR 1

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WP11 Dissemination D11.1 D11.2 D11.3,.4,.5 WP12 Project management D12.1 D12.2 D12.3 D12.4,.5 Month

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36

MT1 MT2 MT3 MT4 MT5 MT6 MT7 MT8 MT9

General Assembly

x x x

Methodology group

x x x x x x

Steering Comitee

x x x x x x x x x

Advisory board Trainings

T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6

Open seminars

S1 S2 YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3

TASK 5 Management

Coming Events

January 2009, May 2009 and Sept 2009

Meetings with General Assembly (1/2 day) and Steering Committe (1/2 day) Workshops according Workpackages (1 to 2 days)

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Trainings(2 days each time) Location: each time in a different Balkan Country

To Conclude

• We start today an important and huge research and networking programme, from

which we know only in theory how it could works

• We have to work together intensively all over the coming weeks, months and years

in order to achieve all the objectives

• I thank you in advance to inform me as co-ordinator directly in any case of difficulty
• r misunderstanding
• We have also to provide the European Commission with financial and administrative

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• We have also to provide the European Commission with financial and administrative

reports, it is not always the easiest and the greater part of the job, but I thank you in advance to provide us as co-ordinator all the material on time, otherwise all the partners are suffering from delays in payments !

• Thank you for your attention !