Map, analysis and benchmarking of policies, plans and initiatives relevant to Food innovation. Deliverable Inno-Food SEE WORK PACKAGE 3: A NALYSIS OF POLICIES AND STRATEGIES FOR FOOD INNOVATION D3.2b-

This study presents the map, analysis and benchmark of the existing policies, plans and initiatives relevant to food innovation at an Apulian and/or Italian level. The analysis has been performed in the framework of the activity 3.1 of WP3- "Analysis of policies and strategies for food innovation". The document has been elaborated according to the methodological guidelines elaborated by WP3 leader of Inno- Food SEE project. The first part of the document focuses on a general presentation of Apulia Region from an economic point of view, presenting the main data about social and economic situation and describing successively the Agrofood sector, with its breakdown in Agriculture and Food Industry. In the second part of the study the focus is deployed on the Research and innovation, starting from the Italian national system to the regional one. The main players, as well as priorities, initiatives and measures are presented, highlighting a system that is being improved and strengthen by Italian Government, as a pillar of economic scenario and a necessary choice to enforce the overall Italian system in this period of crisis. Research and innovation are considered as the main priorities to sustain the economic growth or recovery by SMEs, representing more than 90% of industrial players in our country. According to this policy, a strong intervention is being given in favour of industries and research actors, pushing the research system and the SMEs one to link together towards a sustainable process of innovation. Main projects have been funded by National and European founds in the Agrofood sector, addressing the priorities for the innovation set at National level. A key role in this process is played by Regional Authority, who is in charge of EU funds management by issuing Operational Program and implementing it through appropriate measures for the local growth. Measures, projects and initiatives are sustaining the regional agrofood, which represents one of the strategic economic sectors defined by Apulia Region. The overview includes also a short view on future policies, strategies and plans, that follow the European guideline and approach, and finally a preliminary Assessment of National and Regional Innovation policies and plans and a comparison against international food clusters.