Goal

The overall objective of the project is to strengthen the competitiveness, profitability, and resilience of small-scale food producers and SMEs in the Aurora region. The project provides practical and quickly adoptable solutions, co-developed directly with producers and tailored to their real needs – made with them and for them. The project also contributes to long-term regional strategies by promoting food security, sustainability, and value addition, ensuring that small producers remain a strong and visible part of the Aurora regions food system.

Results

Aurora region food producing SMEs face increasing pressure to stay profitable and visible in a rapidly changing market. Many producers, family farms, micro-enterprises, and SMEs operates in remote areas with limited resources, small local markets, and high logistics costs. Due to their size, most lack access to business development tools, digital marketing know-how, or innovation capacity, which limits their competitiveness and makes it difficult to attract new generations to the sector. Despite their essential role in regional food self-sufficiency and cultural identity, their contribution to local economies is declining. The project aims to address these challenges by developing practical, design-driven solutions that are co-created directly with producers and tailored to their real needs.The project will deliver two main results:
  • Challenge-to-Opportunity Transformation Models – practical frameworks that demonstrate how small producers can turn core challenges into profitable, sustainable business opportunities, strengthening their role in regional food systems.
  • A Digital Platform – an open online space compiling case studies, tools, and collaboration opportunities, serving as a long-term resource for networking and innovation.

    • Usability of the results

    All transformation models, case studies, and co-designed solutions will be publicly available on the platform, ensuring free access to replicable and transferable tools. The cross-border network established during the project will continue to connect producers and stakeholders, fostering collaboration and peer support. Partners will use the project results in their ongoing RDI (Research, Development, and Innovation) and education activities, embedding the developed models and design methods into future courses and regional development initiatives.