Contributing to sustainable production and consumption in the agri-food sector

Partnership
Initiative

Background

The Chamber of Industry, Commerce, Services and Tourism of Santa Cruz - CAINCO (Bolivia), the Chamber of Commerce of Bogotá - CCB (Colombia), and the Chamber of Commerce of Turin - CCT (Italy) are working together as members of the ICC World Chambers Federation, a global entity that unites Chambers of Commerce from all over the world; promoting local economic growth and SME development through the exchange of best practices and joint projects. Within the framework of this federation, they have held several meetings and signed bilateral agreements to strengthen mutual cooperation.

The CCT and CCB signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2023 to exchange practices, organise delegations and strengthen business networks between Colombia and Italy, facilitating the growth of SMEs in both countries. In turn, CAINCO has led important programmes such as AL-INVEST IV and AL- INVEST 5.0, in which the CCB participated as implementing partner, supporting Colombian MSMEs and promoting their competitiveness and internationalisation. Through the AL-INVEST 5.0 programme, the CCB transferred its business strengthening programme to Bolivia, sharing knowledge on sustainability and market trends with local companies.

Both CAINCO and the CCB have extensive experience in Triangular Cooperation in the framework of the ADELANTE Window, having independently carried out two initiatives: the Innovative Laboratory for Reciprocal Entrepreneurship in Social Economy (LIDERES) by CAINCO, and Sustainability in the fashion sector for its internationalisation by the CCB. These experiences made it possible to identify an opportunity to form a new Triangular Cooperation Partnership with the CCT, to work on the exchange and systematisation of good practices in order to develop strategies and tools for sustainable production and consumption in the agri-food sector.

Entities and roles

Beneficiary entities

Cámara de Industria, Comercio, Servicios y Turismo de Santa Cruz

Bolivia

First provider entities

Cámara de Comercio de Bogotá - CCB

Colombia

Second provider entities

Cámara de Comercio de Turín

Italy

Development challenges

Thanks to this Triangular Cooperation Initiative, the knowledge and expertise of the Partnership member entities in the field of sustainable agri-food production and consumption will be used to systematise good practices and know-how on circular economy, sustainable production and packaging, promoting their use at the institutional level as well as in the business sector and civil society organisations.

The aim is to achieve inclusive and sustainable development under SDG 12, contributing to ‘achieving sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources’, ‘reducing food waste’ and ‘significantly reducing waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse’; and under SDG 8, contributing to ‘progressively improving the efficient production and consumption of the world's resources and working towards decoupling economic growth from environmental degradation’, among other goals.

This Triangular Cooperation Initiative aims to share the knowledge of the Partnership entities to promote institutional capacity building in the development of strategic plans for agri-food production and consumption under the circular economy model, with a holistic vision of the life cycle of food products and a focus on the green economy.

Triangular approach

The circular economy and cluster development play a key role in promoting sustainability in the agri-food sector. This Initiative seeks to harness Latin American and European knowledge and expertise in these fields to promote sustainable practices that provide a balance between economic growth and environmental conservation. Sustainable production and consumption patterns will be promoted, with a special focus on the implementation of strategies that integrate innovation and cooperation between different actors in the sector.

The Bogotá Chamber of Commerce (CCB) will lend its extensive experience in the development of sectoral clusters, with a special emphasis on areas such as food safety and packaging, while fostering collaboration and innovation in the region. Through the project ‘Strengthening the competitiveness of the Bogotá region through the promotion of the circular economy’, in the framework of the AL-INVEST Verde programme, the CCB will share practices related to eco-design, eco-innovation and eco-labelling applied to different production processes. These practices aim to promote sustainability in the agri-food sector by modernising and optimising its value chains.

In addition, the Chamber of Industry, Commerce, Services and Tourism of Santa Cruz (CAINCO) will lend its expertise in integrating the recycling chain and supporting start-ups operating in the circular economy, enabling the integration of sustainable initiatives within the agri-food sector in Bolivia. Their expertise in developing business strategies for sustainability will be key in the implementation of innovative models in the region.

The Chamber of Commerce of Turin (CCT) will provide its knowledge on promoting sustainable economic models, in line with the European strategy of the European Green Deal. Their main contributions include projects that have boosted the competitiveness of SMEs in the agri-food sector, such as Slow Food, which promotes responsible food production and the sector-wide transition to a circular economy. Their experience in promoting environmentally-friendly packaging and safe food production will also be valuable to the Partnership.

A key component of this Initiative will be the formulation of a white paper that will gather the best practices, know-how and methodologies transferred by each Chamber of Commerce, in order to implement sustainable production and consumption strategies in the agri-food sectors of the participating countries. This document will serve as an essential tool for fostering public-private sector cooperation, promoting dialogue between institutions and businesses, and developing specific programmes on the circular economy; especially in the institutional and business spheres.

CAINCO, together with representatives of the business and academic sectors, will benefit from the knowledge generated on the topic of the circular economy, which will allow for the identification and application of best practices in the agri-food sector. In addition, the Bogotá and Turin Chambers of Commerce will use the white paper as a guide to design new projects focused on sustainability, creating collaborative models that promote sustainable solutions in the food supply chain. The exchange of knowledge and expertise among the Partnership entities will allow them to expand these methodologies to different geographical contexts, thus ensuring a positive and lasting impact on beneficiary communities.

Sectoral approach - Contribution to the 2030 Agenda

Primary SDG

Goal 12.2 By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources

Goal 12.3 By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses

Goal 12.5 By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse

Secondary SDG

Goal 8.3 Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial services

Goal 8.4 Improve progressively, through 2030, global resource efficiency in consumption and production and endeavour to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation, in accordance with the 10-year framework of programmes on sustainable consumption and production, with developed countries taking the lead

Goal 8.6 By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training

ADELANTE SDG

Goal 10.2 By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status

Goal 17.16 Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources, to support the achievement of the sustainable development goals in all countries, in particular developing countries

Goal 17.17 Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships

Territorial approach

Intervention methodology

The work plan of this Initiative is based on a comprehensive approach, proposing a variety of activities that foster knowledge sharing, capacity building and the identification of opportunities for collaboration. The work will be coordinated through three study visits, a specialised consultancy and a final seminar.

The first study visit, which will take place in Turin, Italy, will focus on the transfer of skills and best practices developed by the Chamber of Commerce of Turin, focused on promoting a more sustainable supply chain in the agri-food sector. During this visit, training activities and meetings will be held with key actors in the sector, who have in-depth knowledge on developing support services for local companies, in collaboration with the CCT.

The second study visit will take place in Bogotá, Colombia, and will allow Partnership entities to get a closer look at the agri-food system in the region. The visit will facilitate exchanges with companies and actors recognised for their sustainable and innovative good practices in the sectors of agricultural production, gastronomy, food processing and agro-logistics, as well as in the manufacture of packaging, containers and labels.

The third study visit will take place in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, providing an opportunity to learn first-hand about the implementation of sustainable practices in different business sectors. The visits will include tours of leading companies in circular economy and environmental sustainability. In addition, the Partnership entities will give a masterclass on the agri-food sector, with the aim of promoting practical skills, networking and strategic partnerships. In addition, the Circular Economy Forum, organised by CAINCO, will focus on analysing the need to move towards a development model based on the circular economy, promoting green business and business innovation.

A comprehensive consultancy will be carried out to support the Partnership in the management and optimisation of the knowledge produced, as well as in delivering the expected outcomes. One of the main outcomes of the consultancy will be a white paper, which will organise the experiences gathered during the visits and translate them into practical models to be applied by Partnership entities and other interested organisations.

Lastly, as a closing activity, a webinar will be held to present and share the final results of the Initiative.

A cross-cutting approach integrating a gender perspective and addressing the environment and climate change will be applied throughout the Initiative. These issues will be addressed both in the presentation and exchange of specific experiences and in the joint work opportunities, and will also be included in the white paper.

Direct beneficiaries (individuals)

According to Rule 9 of the Guidelines for Applicants: all persons participating in the activities of the Initiative.

There are approximately 130 direct beneficiaries, including representatives from Partnership entities as well as from the public, business, academic and civil society sectors in Colombia, Bolivia and Italy, who will actively participate in the planned activities. In addition, the Circular Economy Forum, to be held in Bolivia, will provide an opportunity to engage with a wider audience and stakeholders, significantly broadening the scope of the Initiative's results and potentially reaching a considerably greater number of people.

Budget

EU contribution: 100,049.22 €

Co-financing - Triangular Cooperation Partnership: 42,133.13 €

Total budget: 142,182.35 €

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