Keywords

Introduction

The key global challenges of the twenty-first century include growing urban population (Kalnay and Cai 2003; Antrop 2004; Cohen 2006) globalization (van Meijl et al 2006), rapidly growing demand for food (FAO 2012), decreasing availability of cultivable land for food production (Benayas et al 2007; Renwick et al 2013; Olesen and Bindi 2002; Dimitri et al 2005), environmental and climate pressures that threaten agricultural productivity, and current land use practices (IPCC 2014). According to current estimates, food production has to increase by 50–70% by 2050 to meet rising demand and changing food preferences of a growing population, especially the urban population (Boserup 2011) (Table 1). Much of the additional demand for food will originate in regions with high population growth, in particular Sub-Saharan Africa, India, the Middle East and North Africa (OECD/FAO 2019).

Table 1 World population
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By 2050, the world’s population will grow to around 9.6 billion people. According to estimates, the global population will increase by 1 billion every 12 years (UN DESA 2018). A growing global population will continue to use increasing amounts of agricultural products for food, feed, and industrial purposes. Many of the world’s poorest people will continue to live in rural areas and will depend on agriculture for an important share of their incomes (OECD/FAO 2019). The increase in food production must be achieved from a natural resource base that is declining in quantity and quality (EC 2018) and contributes to climate change (Abson et al 2014) by inducing chemical, physical, and biological processes (Lal 2006) that increase the levels of atmospheric CO2 (Chase et al 2001) and speed up soil erosion. These processes exert a negative impact on the environment (Pimentel et al 1995). Unsurprisingly, there are now mounting pressures on agriculture to reduce its carbon footprint, and to help mitigate climate change (OECD/FAO 2019).

International norms such as the Millennium Development Goals (UN 2000) and Sustainable Development Goals (UN 2015a, b) (FAO 2012a, b) postulate sustainable rural development. The Common Agricultural Policy postulates that sustainable rural development can be achieved by focusing on a limited number of key priorities relating to the transfer of knowledge and innovation in agriculture at the EU level (Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013). The transfer of knowledge and innovation in agriculture can be facilitated through clustering and data and experience sharing. Clusters are created to increase efficiency, competitiveness, environmental sustainability, and enterprise development. They enhance the effectiveness of agricultural production through innovation and the implementation of smart specialization. A model of linkages between the academia, industry, government and citizens should be implemented to achieve this goal. The framework of action should be organized around citizens-farmers and clusters.

The aim of this study was to develop a conceptual framework for enhanced cooperation between farmers and clusters and to survey Polish farmers’ and experts’ perceptions of the benefits and barriers to such collaboration. Farmers should have the opportunity to cooperate with agricultural enterprises, implement innovations, improve the efficiency of agricultural production, improve their skills through training, and foster the growth of farms through cluster activities. Cooperation between clusters and farmers is crucial for implementing innovative business solutions for smart specialization and sustainable development of regions, to provide modern support solutions for efficient management in agricultural production, implement environmentally friendly technologies and foster innovation.

A review of the literature indicates that cooperation between institutions and local communities fosters technological progress and contributes to policies that support the sustainable development of regions. This is an important objective because agriculture needs guidance for improved cooperation under Goal 9 of the Sustainable Development Goals formulated by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015 (UN 2015a, b). The foundation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. An integral part of the SDGs is the implementation of state-of-the-art innovation, especially in the least developed rural areas.

Cooperation between society/farmers and subjects/clusters is key to implementing innovation in rural areas and the creation of infrastructure that supports the economic development of regions with active social participation. Clusters enable farmers to improve the efficiency of agricultural production through innovation and the implementation of smart specialization. A model of linkages between the academia, industry, government, and citizens should be implemented to achieve this goal.

The progress made in the implementation of the above goals will be assessed based on an analysis of the existing clusters in Europe and in Poland in view of published reports and a review of the literature. The existing clusters will be analyzed to obtain background information, identify the main clusters and their area of activity in Europe and Poland. Agricultural cluster policy at the regional level and the relevant solutions and barriers will be identified based on a literature interview and interviews with agricultural policy experts from selected institutions. The panel of experts included civil officers from agricultural institutions (Voivodeship Marshals’ Offices and the Agency for Restructuring and Modernization of Agriculture). In the last stage of the study, a questionnaire survey was conducted in the Polish voivodeship of Warmia and Mazury to identify small farmers’ (with farm area of less than 20 ha) perceptions of the benefits and barriers to cooperation with clusters. The results were used to optimize the distribution of competences for cooperation with farmers and clusters, including agro-clusters. The proposed solution advocates for the establishment of specialist institutions responsible for eliminating barriers and monitoring the farmers’ ability to implement the expected benefits of collaboration.

Materials and Methods

Materials

Poland is one of the largest EU countries that lies at the geographic center of the European continent. Its central location and well-developed road, railway, and aviation infrastructure guarantee easy access to both Western and Eastern European markets. The Polish railway network spans a combined length of 20,228 km and is one of the densest railway systems in the world. Poland also operates numerous sea and trade ports (including in Szczecin, Świnoujście, Gdynia and Gdańsk) which have connections with the most important ports all over the world (Cluster 2016). Poland was selected for the study because it belongs to a group of EU countries with the highest number of agricultural holdings and is one of the largest food producers in Europe. The voivodeship of Warmia and Mazury was selected for detailed analysis.

Political, social, and economic data were gathered in the first stage of the study to set the background for detailed analyses. The collected data are presented in Table 2.

Table 2 General statistical data on Poland and Polish agriculture
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Food production in Poland has increased by more than 57% since 2010, and more than 40% of domestic food production is exported (CSO 2018). The supply of agricultural raw materials and foodstuffs exceeds domestic consumption and guarantees national food security (CSO 2018; SYA 2018). Poland was selected as a model country for this study due to the economic and social implications of national food security. According to the Statistical Yearbook of Agriculture (SYA 2018), the majority of Polish agricultural holdings are small farms under 20 ha, and this group of farms was selected for the study.

Methods

In the first stage of the study, the clusters operating in Europe and Poland were identified and quantified, and their regional characteristics were described based on a review of the literature. In the following stage, interviews were conducted with 10 experts responsible for agricultural policy and regional development in the Marshal’s Office, the Agency for the Restructuring and Modernization of Agriculture (ARMA), and the National Support Center for Agriculture (NSCA). The last stage of the research involved a survey of farmers to identify the perceived benefits and barriers to cooperation with clusters. The survey was conducted using the direct interview method. The questionnaire was developed based on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically Goal 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure (UN 2015a, b; UN DESA 2018; Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013; Regulation (EC) No 138/2004; FOOD 2019). The questionnaire contained 25 questions, mostly closed-ended, single-choice questions. The survey involved 180 small farmers in the Polish voivodeship of Warmia and Mazury.

Literature Review

Definition of a Cluster

A cluster is defined as “a geographic concentration of industries which gain advantages through co-location” (Bosworth and Broun 1996) or “geographic concentrations of group of firms with similar products or services, agglomerated and interconnected companies and institutions in a particular field” (Porter 1998). Many clusters include governmental and other institutions, such as universities, standard-setting agencies, think tanks, vocational training providers, and trade associations that provide specialized training, education, information, research, and technical support (Porter 1998). The companies participating in clusters generate public benefits and factor inputs, and they contribute to the dissemination of knowledge (Marshall 1920; Kalnins and Chung 2004; Alcácer and Chung 2007; McCann and Folta 2008; Porter 1998). Clusters can be described as geographical agglomerations of mutually related companies, specialized suppliers, service providers, companies operating in similar sectors and related institutions that both cooperate and compete with each other. The potential of clusters and cluster initiatives in a given country is determined by numerous factors, including the business environment and the presence of institutions promoting enterprise growth (Cluster 2016). In the literature, clusters are defined as the geographic concentration of independent entities from different sectors of the economy that cooperate and compete with each other within the value chain. A cluster generates benefits and creates new value for its participants, including enterprises, universities, research organizations, business environment institutions, public administration, and other supporting organizations (Directions 2020). The definition and the value of clusters are presented in Fig. 1.

Fig. 1
A flowchart depicts six explanations of the value of clusters, Group of interests or stakeholders, cooperation, environment for innovation, synergy between cluster members, confidence and social capital, common projects, and knowledge sharing.

Source own elaboration

Definition and value of clusters.

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Clusters strengthen their competitive advantage by combining inter-firm rivalry, collaboration (co-opetition), and innovation (Verdú and Tierno 2019) with rapid transmission and adoption of ideas, generation of important local externalities such as skilled labor, availability of specialized inputs, including physical, technical and legal (such as those relating to certification), and enhanced access to information on technologies and markets (FAO 2010).

Similar assumptions apply to agribusiness sector companies that support small farms. Agribusiness clusters involve producers, agro-industries, traders, and other private and public actors that are interconnected, engaged in the same industry, build formal or informal value networks, address common challenges, and pursue common opportunities in rural areas (FAO 2010). According to FAO (2010), strategies targeting agribusiness and agro-industry development improve the competitiveness of agribusinesses, in particular small- and medium-sized companies (FAO 2010). Agribusiness can undertake new ventures with clusters to maximize their competitive advantage on the local market (Porter 1998). Innovation significantly influences the competitiveness of geographic clusters. The relationships between geographic location and innovation have been studied extensively (Asheim and Isaksen 1997; Baptista and Swann 1998, Baptista 2000, 2001). According to Joly (2011), new ideas, new technical devices, or new forms of organization are developed to meet user needs. The World Bank defines innovation as a process by which individuals or organizations master and implement the design and production of goods and services that are new to them, irrespective of whether they are new to their competitors, their country, or the world (World Bank 2006). Innovations are introduced through systems or networks of individuals and organizations to ensure that new practices and processes are successfully adopted (Akrich et al 2002; Schumpeter 1962). The success of innovation efforts requires the development of a conceptual framework, which entails cooperation between community members and entities responsible for the implementation of innovations (Cohen and Levinthal 1990; Lawson and Samson 2001). In rural areas, innovations are introduced by clusters, and the local community is represented by farmers (Zysk et al 2020). Cooperation between clusters and farmers is key to implementing innovative business solutions for smart specialization and sustainable development in the region and on farms. It contributes to the introduction of modern solutions for more efficient management in agricultural production and the implementation of environmentally friendly technology, and it fosters innovation. These measures are undertaken to promote sustainable development, including regional and economic development with active social participation. The factors that contribute to the effective operations of clusters and cooperation with farmers have to be identified to broaden the existing knowledge and facilitate the achievement of sustainable rural development goals, including Goal 9. Cluster activities should be analyzed to monitor the progress toward sustainable rural development (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2
A diagram depicts eight steps for sustainable rural development. The steps include the protection of agricultural land and natural environment, food security, monitoring C O 2 levels, and cropping plants in rural areas.

Source Own elaboration

Sustainable rural development.

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To achieve the main research objective, clusters in the EU and Poland were analyzed in the first stage of the study. The analysis was based on a review of the literature and the relevant documents (Cluster 2016, 2018; Directions 2020; EPCICh 2020).

Field Research

Clusters in Europe

European clusters were mapped and evaluated in the 2020 edition of the European Panorama of Clusters and Industrial Change report (EPCICH 2020) developed by the European Observatory for Clusters and Industrial Change. The results are presented in Fig. 3.

Fig. 3
A diagram of Clusters matter shows 2,950 cluster, 25% productivity, Account for 61.8 million jobs, large regional differences, almost 200 high performing clusters, and 0.3% productivity growth.

Source own elaboration based on EPCICh (2020)

Characterization of European clusters.

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The report presents the geographic location of clusters across 51 exporting industry sectors in Europe. It analyzes cluster strength and divides clusters into basic-performing, medium-performing, and high-performing regional clusters (Table 3).

Table 3 Top-25 regions with most clusters
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A total of 2950 regional industrial clusters have been identified across Europe, including 198 high-performing clusters, 898 medium-performing clusters, and 1854 basic-performing clusters (EPCICh 2020). Fifty-five clusters have been identified in the sector of Agricultural Inputs and Services, including one high-performing, 11 medium-performing, and 43 basic-performing clusters. The high-performing cluster is located in the UK (Lincolnshire). Medium-performing clusters are located in Germany (Schleswig–Holstein), Spain (Aragon, Castilla-La Mancha, Comunidad Valenciana, Andalucía, Murcia), France (Champagne-Ardenne, Bourgogne, Pays-de-la-Loire, Bretagne), and Norway (Hedemark og Oppland). Basic-performing clusters are located in Belgium (1 region), Czechia (4 regions), Denmark (1 region), Germany (4 regions), Greece (4 regions), Spain (3 regions), France (5 regions), Italy (4 regions), Hungary (2 regions), Poland (2 regions), Portugal (2 regions), Romania (4 regions), Slovakia (1 region), Sweden (1 region), the UK (2 regions), Switzerland (1 region), and Norway (2 regions).

Clusters in Poland

Poland is referred to as the economic heart of Europe. Poland is a rapidly developing country and clusters undoubtedly contribute to the growth of the Polish economy. The number of Polish clusters has increased in recent years. The distribution of clusters in Polish voivodeships is presented in Fig. 4.

Fig. 4
A map of Poland depicts the locations of clusters. The clusters are high in southwestern, southern, and eastern Poland. The clusters are moderate in northwestern, northern, and central Poland.

Location of clusters in Poland. Source own elaboration (Cluster 2016)

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The location of clusters reflects the economic potential of Polish regions because 48% of clusters are located in the four most developed regions: Mazovia, Lower Silesia, Wielkopolska, and Silesia. Key National Clusters (KNCs) are defined as clusters that are of crucial importance for the national economy and are highly competitive in the international arena. Polish KNCs and their potential are presented in Fig. 5 (Fig. 6).

Fig. 5
A diagram depicts the key national clusters and their elaborations of key national clusters in Poland potential and cluster. It explains the number of institutions, enterprises, and sales export in Poland.

Source own elaboration based on Cluster Policy in Poland (Cluster 2018). The KNCs belong to many industrial sectors, and they are not uniformly distributed across Polish regions (Fig. 6)

Polish Key National Clusters and their potential.

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Fig. 6
A map of Poland has the following labels for each places, Green Chemistry, Mazovian, Eastern, Waste management and recycling, and Industrial clusters, Aviation Valley, NUTRIBIOMED, and INTERIZON.

Source own elaboration

Key National Clusters by voivodeship in Poland.

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The group of 134 analyzed clusters represent a wide variety of industries, from traditional to high-tech, and a total of 28 specializations were identified. Many clusters belong to ICT, energy, construction, tourism, production technology, and agricultural sectors. Furniture, clothing, machinery, wood, nanotechnology, geodesy, pharmacy and cosmetics, and maritime economy sectors are represented by one cluster each.

Polish clusters were also analyzed across different sectors and smart specializations in agriculture in each region. The smart specialization concept relies on scientific and technological innovation. Smart specialization can have different definitions, depending on the approach adopted in a given region. Some smart specialization strategies promote the growth of the existing industries and economic sectors, whereas others combine numerous sectors or are related to specific technologies. Industrial sectors and regional smart specializations are not always consistent with the classification of smart specializations in agri-food production and agriculture at the national level (Table 4).

Table 4 Industrial sectors and smart specializations in Polish voivodeships
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Poland has significant agricultural capital, and it is one of the leading food producers in the European Union. The food industry, food production, and agriculture are the predominant sectors and smart specializations in 10 Polish voivodeships. Smart specializations were directly linked with the relevant industrial sectors in only two voivodeships (Kujawsko-Pomorskie and Wielkopolskie). The clusters in Podkarpackie and Lubelskie voivodeships operated in the food processing sector, and the clusters in Mazowieckie voivodeship operated in the food security sector. In the remaining voivodeships, smart specializations were related to the food industry and agriculture. These findings indicate that agriculture is an important sector of the Polish economy, and that clusters, sectors, and smart specializations will pave the road to the future development of Polish voivodeships. The relevant measures and activities require effective policies targeting agribusiness clusters.

Expert Survey—Policies Targeting Regional Agribusiness Clusters—Opportunities and Barriers

The survey involved direct interviews and telephone interviews with 10 experts responsible for agricultural policy and regional development at the Marshal’s Office, the Agency for the Restructuring and Modernization of Agriculture, and Agricultural Advisory Centers in the voivodeship of Warmia and Mazury. The respondents were of the opinion that effective cluster policies, in particular policies targeting agro-clusters, were not available. This observation suggests that a general framework should be established for evaluating regional policies that are responsible for grassroots initiatives such as agro-clusters. According to the experts, smart specializations in agriculture can be partly identified based on an analysis of regional clusters. A model of cooperation between local governments, businesses and stakeholders could be developed by creating regional platforms for the exchange of experiences and good practices. Financial support is also an important issue. Clusters and their members should have access to financial instruments dedicated to farmers who have an interest in improving their professional qualifications and implementing innovative solutions in their farms. These financial instruments should be available at the regional level.

The offices of voivodship marshals could participate in such initiatives by communicating important information about cluster operations and cluster policies (meetings, workshops, conferences) on dedicated Web sites, and by organizing events, missions, study tours, and information centers. Various incentives and support measures should be initiated to encourage farmers to implement innovative solutions in agricultural production and in their farms. Dedicated Web sites containing information about agricultural cluster policies, projects, members, and membership options could also promote the establishment of regional clusters. According to the surveyed experts, promotional measures contribute to the development of clusters and influence the operations of individual farmers. Clusters should be promoted not only on local and regional markets, but also in the international arena to facilitate cooperation with high-performing clusters. Collaboration between clusters, including the commercialization of research results, networking, and the creation of project consortia, is also an important consideration. To promote the growth of clusters, effective intellectual property policies is needed to protect innovative solutions and novel products. The proposed measures will improve the status of local farms, promote the development of cluster members, and drive innovation in agro-clusters.

Farmer Survey

The survey involved 180 farmers in the voivodeship of Warmia and Mazury. The size of the surveyed population was dictated by the number of farmers who could be directly accessed. The survey was conducted in line with international standards applicable to Sustainable Development Goals, in particular Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, as well as a review of the solutions implemented in other countries, including Germany (Pölling et al 2017). In the questionnaire, the respondents were asked to identify the expected benefits and barriers to cooperation with clusters. The respondents are characterized in Table 5.

Table 5 Characterization of the respondents
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The majority of the surveyed farmers were 55 and older. Most respondents owned farms with an area of 10 ha to more than 30 ha. More than 77% of the farmers were of the opinion that cooperation with clusters could deliver benefits, whereas the barriers to such cooperation were identified by more than 51% of the respondents. The perceived benefits of cooperation within clusters are presented in Table 6.

Table 6 Perceived benefits of cooperation within clusters
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The survey revealed that farmers recognized the benefits of cooperation within clusters. Most respondents were of the opinion that cluster membership can deliver financial benefits, increase farming incomes, facilitate the implementation of innovative solutions and new technologies, and expand the farm’s productive output. Every fourth farmer expected the implementation of environmentally friendly solutions. It should be stressed that according to the respondents, cooperation with clusters could improve resource use efficiency, decreases costs, promotes specialization, and facilitates the introduction of new types of agricultural production. Other identified benefits included the possibility of selling products when the prices of agricultural commodities are highest, generation of off-farm incomes (agricultural services), and enhanced competitive advantage.

These findings confirm that agro-clusters expert a positive impact on farm operations. By cooperating with clusters, farmers can expect to improve their performance and expand agricultural operations. According to the respondents, cooperation with agro-clusters not only delivers financial benefits, but it also promotes the implementation of innovative solutions and specialization, thus expanding productive output and improving the efficiency of agricultural production.

The respondents also identified the barriers to cooperation with clusters. The results are presented in Table 7.

Table 7 Barriers to cooperation with clusters
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The vast majority of the surveyed farmers identified several barriers to cooperation with agro-clusters. The most frequently identified obstacles were the absence of previous experience of cooperating with clusters, lack of incentive, insufficient information about cluster membership, no contact persons for communicating with farmers, excessive formal requirements, and the lack of perceived need to cooperate with clusters.

The lack of previous experience and the absence of incentives for cooperating with clusters could indirectly indicate that agro-clusters are not highly active on local markets. Clusters that actively encourage farmers to cooperate can significantly contribute to the development of social capital in rural areas and promote entrepreneurial and active attitudes. The fact that the respondents expected to be personally addressed by clusters could indicate that some farmers do not directly recognize the potential benefits of cooperating with agro-clusters. Many farmers lack the knowledge about agro-clusters’ competences and field of operation. Therefore, clusters should initiate promotional activities to distribute such information and encourage farmers to cooperate.

The results of the survey indicate that members of agro-clusters can play a very important role in eliminating barriers to effective cooperation with farmers. Possible solutions to improving the collaboration between farmers and agro-clusters are proposed in the next section.

Solutions for Improving Cooperation Between Farmers and Agro-clusters

The results of the present study suggest that agro-clusters are responsible for some of the barriers to cooperation with farmers. Many clusters do not offer incentives that could encourage farmers to cooperate. The lack of personalized incentives motivating individual farmers to join agro-clusters is one of the reasons for farmers’ passive stance. Farmers are reluctant to become cluster members because they lack the knowledge about possible benefits. Agro-clusters do not employ dedicated personnel who would assist potential members in filling in the required documentation and encourage farmers to become members. Some farmers do not see the need to work with clusters, do not have sufficient knowledge about cluster operations, and are unable to access the relevant information online due to the absence of dedicated offers. Farmers often lack to time to search for new opportunities because farm work is a full-time job that occupies most their waking hours. In view of the above, the authors proposed a solution that would enable clusters to effectively channel their resources and distribute responsibilities for cooperating with farmers. The developed system would facilitate the flow of information between agro-cluster businesses and potential members. As part of the proposed solution, members of agro-clusters would share responsibility for eliminating the existing barriers and incentivizing farmers to join the cluster. The designed system also features dedicated units that would be responsible for field operations and direct communication with farmers. A diagram illustrating the structure of the proposed system for cooperation with farmers is presented in Fig. 7.

Fig. 7
A flowchart depicts Supreme Authority connected to Government agencies which is connected to Cluster policy team and Polish Agency. The agency is connected to key national cluster and clusters which forms Agro-cluster, interconnected to executive body and Farmers.

Source own elaboration

Distribution of responsibilities to facilitate cooperation between agro-clusters and farmers.

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In the proposed system, the distribution of competences was arranged in a hierarchical order, and entities that play a key role in communication with farmers were identified. The division of management tasks from the macro- to the micro-scale supports effective coordination of activities aiming to expand cluster membership (Duczkowska-Piasecka 2012).

The developed system features supervisory, executory, and advisory bodies. The Prime Minister is the supreme authority who supervises the operations of government agencies (Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Technology, Ministry of Science and Higher Education, Polish Agency for Entrepreneurship Development, National Center for Research and Development), the Cluster Policy Team as an advisory body responsible for cluster policy (for example, Marshal’s Offices in Polish voivodeships), an executive body (Polish Agency for Enterprise Development), Key National Clusters and clusters. Agro-clusters constitute a separate category in the existing group of clusters. Each agro-cluster would establish an executive body that would be directly responsible for monitoring and coordinating the relevant measures. Executive bodies would monitor the performance of units that are directly responsible for communicating with farmers as well as field units. This division of responsibilities would speed up communication and improve cooperation with farmers. The system also features a dedicated application that would speed up communication and enable farmers to submit the required information to clusters.

Conclusions

The future of the European Union rests on economic and social cooperation between the Member States. This assumption should also be applied to the operations of clusters, including agro-clusters. Agro-clusters are a link that combines agricultural production with commerce, science, consumers, and government institutions. The present study demonstrated that clusters play an important role in EU policy, including in Poland. These findings are important because the identified benefits and barriers to cooperation between farmers and agro-clusters can be used to implement solutions that promote effective collaboration on the agricultural market. By joining agro-clusters, small farmers can strengthen their position in the food supply chain, establish cooperation with new partners, reach new markets, and increase their competitive advantage by implementing innovative solutions and new technologies.

In the proposed division of competences, agro-clusters would create dedicated units that would be responsible for direct communication with farmers and would eliminate barriers to cooperation between farmers and clusters. Farming is a time-consuming occupation, and the developed system would feature an application that would enable farmers to submit the required information to clusters and minimize formal reporting requirements. Farmers who become members of agro-clusters can benefit from economies of scale by stabilizing their market position, promoting their products together with other members of the cluster, and increasing production profitability. Cooperation with clusters enables farmers to implement innovative technological solutions in agricultural production and decrease production costs by negotiating discounts on bulk purchases of fertilizers, pesticides, and machines.

The proposed measures can strengthen cooperation between farmers and agro-clusters which play an important role in economic policy. The economic policies of the EU Member States should combine regional and industrial policy tools to promote the implementation of smart specialization strategies. Smart specialization programs support regional development. Clusters play an important role in the implementation of smart specialization strategies in European regions.

Smart specialization in European regions contributes to food security. Food security policies should rely on cooperation between government agencies, agro-clusters, and producers of agricultural commodities (farmers). The proposed system for the distribution of competences and responsibilities will eliminate barriers to collaboration between farmers and clusters and will contribute to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals in Europe, in particular Goal 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure. Effective cooperation between state institutions, research centers, agro-clusters and farmers enables the introduction of modern solutions in agriculture, promotes environmentally friendly technologies, and fosters innovation.