Helping Grow Opportunities in South West Agri-Food Sector

June and July has seen NEF working closely with partners in the SWRDA on Knowledge Transfer and Innovation.

In June NEF’s Chief Executive, Sa’ad Medhat was a keynote speaker at South Devon College’s Senior Management group meeting. It was good to work with the managers who are involved in developing the Business Innovation Service as part of the FESIF Pathfinder Project in the South West.

NEF held an I2E workshop which was hosted by Exeter College –this was a lively workshop with representatives from the Pathfinder project, Exeter College and the leading universities in the South West as well as the regional KTP advisers.

In July NEF’s Liz Ogilvie visited Duchy College to see first hand the Agri- Food KTEN formed by Duchy and Hartpury Colleges, and to attend a Agri-Food KTEN workshop.

The Workshop brought together some key partners from Hartpury and Duchy Colleges, South West RDA, Cornwall Agri -food Council Development Team, Gloucestershire Food Vision and Business Link. As part of the workshop Hartpury presented the initial findings of the some research carried out as part of the KTEN. In addition, the research presented is currently undergoing peer review for potential publication in a leading research journal.

Duchy College are leading the way in FE by developing a Food Innovation Service which is attracting some key Food Manufacturers in the area, as well as, helping some of the new and growing small niche food manufacturers to progress and improve their performance. The workshop demonstrated clearly the growing influence of the KTEN network.