Regional Economics and Regional Development

Regional development projects are an agricultural policy tool that promotes cooperation all along the value chain, as well as cross-sectoral collaboration at the regional level. In this type of project context, we take on an advisory or support role.

PODs and PGIs are agricultural policy instruments aimed at valorising the regional potential of agricultural products. We analyse specific products in terms of their monetary and non-monetary effects and assist with the drafting or revision of product specification documents.

The ‘Mountain’ and ‘Alpine’ designations are agricultural policy tools that facilitate improved valorisation of products from mountain farming and the Alpine economy. We develop appropriate value chain strategies and marketing concepts at the regional level.

Regional products generally evolve from private sector initiatives that aim to leverage the potential of local agriculture. We help to develop regional value chains and devise suitable marketing strategies.

Regional nature parks are model regions for sustainable local development. The ‘park’ label is a lever that parks can use to promote local agriculture while simultaneously sparking enthusiasm for the parks themselves. We support park management bodies in fulfilling their terms of reference here.

Many rural areas and mountain regions have a buoyant tourism industry, and this opens up multiple opportunities for the farm sector in tourist regions. We provide advice to farm enterprises or tourism organisations on developing appropriate offers.

Business models based on community-supported agriculture, such as regional contract farming, offer an opportunity for consumers to re-engage more intensively with farming at the local level. We support the development of appropriate organisational structures here.