On 22 January 2025, CIHEAM Bari, in collaboration with Bio-Distretto delle Lame, organised the First Living Labs Regional Workshop at Finoliva in Bitonto (Bari), Italy.
As one of the four regional workshops planned under the Robocoop project, this event aimed to bring together potential partners from the quadruple helix of the Puglia region’s Living Lab (LL).
The workshop was intended to illustrate the ROBOCOOP EU Project’s objectives and activities, introduce the LL methodology, and initiate discussions on the mapping of current value chains, specifically olives and grape. Another key focus was the presentation and discussion of the four proposed business models, to identify the most suitable one for the Puglia region.
The meeting brought together around 16 Puglia’s stakeholders and primary sector producers (grapes and olive cooperatives). All stakeholders, representing the quadruple helix—cooperatives, farms/producers, public institutions, media, research and academia, and civil society—actively participated in the sessions.
Stakeholder working group discussions, adopting the LL approach, were facilitated and led by the CIHEAM Bari’s team. The discussions initially focused on mapping the grape and olive value chains, selecting appropriate business models, and, finally, identifying and prioritising the challenges and opportunities they face in real life.
Finally, consumer surveys were presented and launched among Puglia’s stakeholders attending the workshop.
