| Summary: | Transnational cooperation is a common strategy for addressing research and
development (R&D) issues resulting from similar challenges that cut across
administrative borders. Value chains for food and drinks are complex, and
transdisciplinary work is recognised as a method for solving complex issues. The
Northern Cereals project ran from 2015 to 2018, and its goal was to increase cereal
production and the value of grain products in four regions in the Northern Periphery
programme area. The project included both R&D, but the main emphasis was on
development, and was carried out by transdisciplinary cooperation between R&D
partners and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). By reviewing the
project’s methods, outcomes and composition, we discuss if a framework of
transnational and transdisciplinary cooperation can help to develop the value chain
from local barley to beer. We found that transnational cooperation was achieved
successfully, that stakeholder involvement was crucial, but that academic disciplines
such as marketing and innovation could have been included. In addition, we recognised
that much work remains to further increase cereal production and the use of local
grain in the Northern Periphery region, but believe that this project has laid a good
foundation for further progress.
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