Call for a Dutch Hosting Organization- EuroMed Clusters Forward - CCM5

About Berytech:

Berytech is a leading organization in the Entrepreneurial Eco-system in Lebanon, that aims to provide a conducive environment for the creation and development of startups, through incubation, business support, counseling, funding, networking, and company hosting, hence taking part in the economic revival of the country, participating in wealth and job creation, and retaining graduates and high-level skills in Lebanon.

About Euromed Clusters Forward:

ECF is a 4-year project that aims at establishing and improving clusters legal policies, strengthening clusters capacity & regional cooperation, and strengthening regional value chains. Berytech is the implementing partner of ECF in Lebanon, that is funded by the European Union and coordinated by Anima Investment Network with 3 implementing partners and 9 affiliates from the Euromed region.

About Cluster Connect Mission (CCM):

Cluster Connect is a short-term exchange activity between clusters and support organizations from similar or different industrial ecosystems. It involves twinning, matchmaking and knowledge sharing activities, and peer learning between a South Mediterranean cluster – the Visitor and a host organization from South Mediterranean and European countries – the Host.

We are seeking well established EU clusters/ support organizations to deliver support in acquiring an internationally accepted label as a base to build an own brand and senior expertise in matters of hygiene, climate management, irrigation and quality control.  Support will be given to the Cluster manager and 2 staff members from the Tunisian Cluster in the agrifood sector. Support will be given to a Cluster manager and 2 staff members from the Tunisian Cluster in the agrifood sector for 4 months virtually and in the Netherlands.

Cluster background information:

The cluster was established in 2015. The cluster’s main operations include 90% of the production volume of the cluster related to tomatoes including cherry tomatoes. It is a relatively small cluster in terms of membership, including 14 private companies and four farmers representing some 20 farmers. At the same time, it has a strong international orientation. Quite some tomato growers from the Netherland, for instance, are active in Tunisia.

 The CCM will equip the cluster with the skills and capacity to:

• Acquire an internationally recognized label which is compliant with international standards and can act as the base to build an own brand / identity (Controlled Designation of Origin “AOC”– ELHAMMA TOMATO).
• Support in matters of hygiene (incl. pesticides control), climate management, irrigation and quality control. More specifically, support is needed to:
  • Develop a hygiene strategy to prevent the spread of diseases (including pesticides control). 
  • Strengthening the capacities of producers in disease control. 
  • Implement a study to control costs. 
  • Improve quality control measures. 
  • Implement a water sustainability strategy (correlation between water resources and consumption).

These topics are referred to in the document as ‘operational excellence’.

The Host will be responsible for conducting a comprehensive series of workshops, trainings consultancy services, site visits, facilitating the attendance to fairs/exhibitions.

The mission is divided into 3 main components:

Component 1: International label

• Conduct a benchmark comparing the design and setup of such labels of comparable organizations in other countries. 
• Propose recommendations for the label in the case of Tunisia.
• Develop an implementation plan for the proposed international label strategy. Provide step-by-step guidelines, timelines, and resource requirements for integration into current operations.

Component 2: Operational excellence

• Provide best practices overview regarding disease control, cost control, quality control and water management in horticulture.
• Discuss feasibility of best practices in Tunisian horticulture, especially in tomato production.

• Formulate an operational excellence implementation strategy.

Component 3: Travel mission:

• Organize and implement the travel mission of up to 3 cluster staff/members to host country for a maximum of 5 days.

• Support materials: templates, presentation, and resources for participants to use during and after the workshops.
• Agenda: for activities of each of the 3 components workshops, consultancy services, benchmarking studies and visits for 4 months.
• Attendance: attendance sheet of the visitor to different activities.
• Travel mission: booking and invoices of flight tickets, accommodation, and other costs of all travelling participants.
• Implementation plan: concerning acquiring the international label.
• Implementation plan: concerning operational excellence .
• Visit reports: report on the visits organized and their outcomes.
• Activity report: for participating in an exhibition/fair.
• Final report: sessions given and final outcomes of the CCM submitted to Berytech.

• The CCM will be implemented from the beginning of February 2025 until the end of May 2025.
• The travel mission of up to 3 cluster staff/members to the host country shall occur within the mission timeline.
• The final report should be delivered by June 15^th  , 2025 at the latest.

• Cluster in agrifood (horticulture) sector, based in the Netherlands.
• Expertise in launching international labels.
• Expertise in matters of hygiene (incl. pesticides control), climate management, irrigation and quality control
• Track record in supporting entrepreneurial activities, startups, and developing innovation ecosystems.
• Track record in fostering partnerships and initiating/implementing joint projects with other clusters/SMEs.
• Experience in designing and implementing capacity building programs in the agrifood/horticulture sector.
• Broad knowledge of trends in the horticultural sector.