Savonia University of Applied Sciences representing the North Savo region has started friendship cooperation with the City of Hamburg. The cooperation is part of the Interreg BSR funded project, KISMET, where they are building more sustainable food environments. The idea of friendship cooperation is to benchmark what has been done in the cluster development in Hamburg, and pilot suitable parts in North Savo. This fits very well with the development situation of Agri-Food Cluster North Savo where we are currently finding out the possible future cluster organization model and actions.

To initiate the collaboration, a kick-off event was organized in the beginning of May together with Savonia University of Applied Sciences, Agri-Food Cluster North Savo, Ministry of Economy and Innovation of City of Hamburg and the Food Cluster Hamburg. The kick-off event brought together key actors from North Savo’s agri-food sector to explore how cluster collaboration can strengthen innovation and better engage decision-makers. The aim was also to learn from the Food Cluster Hamburg and its successful development model.

Key Highlights from the Kick-off Event:

Peer Learning from Hamburg:

•Hamburg has established 8 official clusters, all with public sector ownership.

•The Food Cluster Hamburg is Germany’s only agri-food cluster, built on a solid foundation of political decisions and systematic studies.

•With secured financing of €600,000 annually for five years (plus membership fees and service income), Hamburg offers a sustainable example of long-term cluster funding.

Current Challenges in North Savo:

•A key challenge is the continuity of financing, especially the lack of regional funding mechanisms

•However, a strong ecosystem offers opportunities for engaging public administration and developing sustainable financing models.

•Finland’s national cluster strategy is under development, the existing ecosystem-based approach requires more awareness and practical implementation.

Why Clusters Matter:

•Clusters support business growth and innovation and help companies respond to fast-changing consumer demands.

•They play a critical role in accessing EU project funding and strengthening food security.

•Cooperation across regions is crucial to strengthen national-level influence.

Development Needs Identified:

•Create sustainable financing structures for clusters.

•Strengthen collaboration between clusters and higher education institutions, especially in leveraging EU funding.

•Promote local food culture to support a sustainable food system.

•Clarify the role and position of food clusters within regional ecosystems.

The Kick-off Was a Success – Laying the Groundwork for Collaboration

As the final takeaways from the kick-off event we can say that there is a clear need for Food Clusters across Europe. Both Hamburg and North Savo can learn from each other – Hamburg offers lessons on governance and financing, while North Savo brings expertise in engaging consumers and applying the quadruple helix model. Also, it was noticed that the clusters must remain flexible tools, adapting to the evolving needs of regions and institutions to drive innovation forward.

The kick-off event was a great success and included fruitful discussions and the launch of several collaborative initiatives. Shortly after the event, representatives from Agri-Food cluster participated in a KISMET network meeting held in Vilnius, attending as part of the friendship city actor.

KISMET Network Meeting in Vilnius: Lessons in Building a More Sustainable Food System

On 20-21 May, nearly 50 participants from seven countries in the Baltic region gathered in Vilnius to discuss more sustainable food environments within the framework of the KISMET project. The participants represented municipalities, development organizations, and experts of food sector, all sharing a common goal to build more sustainable and locally rooted food systems.

The meeting focused on collaboration between friendship cities and the sharing of practical development efforts. The partnership between Savonia University of Applied Sciences and the City of Hamburg was the only international friendship cooperation in the project and drew particular interest from other participants.

The workshops of the meeting covered a variety of themes related to sustainable food environments, including food education, reducing food waste in schools, local food procurement, and cooperation between municipalities and producers. The discussions revealed that while different municipalities face similar challenges, there are also many scalable good practices already in use.

Participants also had the opportunity to explore good practices in Lithuania: the municipalities of Vilkaviškis and Kazlų Rūda presented their solutions for promoting short food supply chains and strengthening local food production. A site visit was organized to Leafood, one of Europe’s largest vertical farming units, offering insight into how technology can support sustainable food production in an increasingly urbanized world.

The partner meeting concluded with a visioning workshop, which focused on how the result and tools created through KISMET project could be implemented more broadly. Key takeaways included the importance of maintaining partner networks, continuing to identify shared need, and using digital platforms for information sharing and coordination.

Overall, the Vilnius meeting provided a wealth of inspiration and peer learning. It reinforced the view that international collaboration and the diverse solutions already successfully implemented in other parts of the Baltic Sea region can significantly support the development of the Agri-Food cluster in North Savo.

Next Steps: Strengthening the Path Ahead

The collaboration between North Savo and Hamburg, as well as the insights gained through the KISMET network, have laid a strong foundation for future cluster development. Building on the momentum of the kick-off and the Vilnius meeting, the next phase will focus on piloting concrete actions in North Savo – adapting proven practices, exploring sustainable financing models, and deepening cooperation between key stakeholders. Continued dialogue, peer learning, and strategic partnerships – both nationally and internationally – will be essential in shaping a resilient and innovative Agri-Food Cluster that contributed to a more sustainable food system in Finland and beyond.

Writer:

Jade Hirvonen

RDI Specalist, Food Systems, Savonia University of Applied Sciences