Blue River Concepts

Mixing the Worlds of Clustering and Agrifood, Experiences from the Netherlands

Frank EetgerinkBlue River ConceptsThe Netherlands

Parallel Session 3.2: Clusters Promoting Cooperation and Effective Convergence between Industries

Blue River Concepts

Collaboration in agrifoodHistorical roots

• Often very old resilient traditions, conservative• Hardened by dependency on unpredictable

external conditions (weather, diseases, war, etc.)• From local community collaboration to

cooperatives and large farms• Strong individual / family entrepreneurship

Agriculture: from traditional production towards chain production

Raw Materials

Processing

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Simplified Value Chain

Raw materials Agriculture Food pro-cessing Retail Consumer

Logistics

Trade

Innovation

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Modern agrifoodCompetitive market driven entrepreneurship

• Up scaling, intensification, industrialization• Long and complex (global) value chains• Global markets• Innovation driven (IT, Robotics, Gene Tech, light)• From farmer to industrial entrepreneur

Vertical integration in chainsExample: Broiler Chain

Primary Production

Raw Materials

Primary Processing

Secondary Processing

Trade & Logistics

Retail

Breeding

EggProduction

Broilers

Slaughtering

Trade & Logistics

Retail

Mother Animals

Genetics

Corn and Soy Production

Raw M

aterials

ConcentratesProduction

Processing

Horizontal integration between chains

Primary Production

Raw Materials

Primary Processing

Secondary Processing

Trade & Logistics

Retail

Trade & Logistics

Retail

Primary Production

Raw Materials

Primary Processing

Secondary Processing

Primary Production

Raw Materials

Primary Processing

Secondary Processing

Primary Processing

Secondary Processing

Future Agriculture: from chain production to-wards Food Clusters (Agropark)

Raw Materials

Processing

Raw Materials

Processing

Raw Materials

Processing

Food Clusters

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Clusters & Agrifood• Agrifood is changing into modern industrial

business, process industry• Different roots/background

• Special: spatial and environmental constraints• Quadruple helix essential – license to produce

• Different but similar collaboration systems

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Case Almelo, NL

• Problem owner/client: local government• Challenge: turn unsalable land into profitable rural

development• Goal: economic growth and employment and

compensation for financial losses

Process starts with concept design and stakeholder involvement

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Agriculture: urban farming Agriculture: intensive livestock farming

Care: care farmTourism: theme park

Energy farming

Education: institute

Nature: village estate

Agropark: Rondeel eggs

Most suitable option

Chosen option

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Learning points• No entrepreneurs were willing to take the risks• Threat for more traditional farmers and local people• No consortium was organized to deliver the

business case

• Collaboration on closing loops and resource use efficiency was needed, complex task, too early• Clustering could have been a solution

(Now: discussion re-emerges)

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Case

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Umbrella organization for 5 clusters

• Mushroom Cluster• Avenue Trees Cluster• Fruit Cluster• Horticulture Bommelerwaard• Horticulture Arnhem-Nijmegen

Greenport Gelderland

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Good practice• Mature triple helix, 10th anniversary• Entrepreneurs strongly involved, project oriented• Umbrella organization facilitates clusters, interface

for government• Every cluster a cluster manager, pact facilitator• Every cluster is different in goals, ambitions; locally

grounded, regionally funded• Inspired by mature cluster organization Food Valley

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Final remarks• From farmers to normal industrial entrepreneurs• Collaboration evolved from individual entrepreneur

into cooperatives and now into clusters • Modern agrifood businesses can learn from

clusters: ‘normal’ clusters• Cluster manager, common agenda, trust building,

shared vision and goals, branding, managing external relations• Spatial element and license to produce differ

Blue River Concepts

Join the discussions: TCI Working Group

Metropolitan Food Clustershttps://www.linkedin.com/grp/home?gid=8197201

Frank Eetgerinkfrank@eetgerink.com / +31 6 5342 0839

Blue River Concepts

Q&A