Farmers; fishers; food and drink producers; and hospitality providers based on the Dingle peninsula /Corca Dhuibhne, are invited to sign up to a new training programme aimed at providing them with the knowledge and skills to further develop and exploit the culinary attributes of the region.
‘Developing a Sustainable Regional Food Branding Strategy’ for the Dingle peninsula/ Corca Dhuibhne starts on May 11, and consists of a series of modules over 2021/2022 which introduce participants to a group of expert trainers and inspirational guest speakers.
A blend of presentations, interactive workshops and discussion clinics will cover a variety of topics including using local and regional ingredients; agri best practice; food tourism; branding; sustainability; marketing and social media.
The aim of the programme is to deliver ongoing support for the branding of products from sustainable farming, fishing and food production on the Dingle peninsula/Corca Dhuibhne.
It will bring together artisan, micro, agricultural and small hospitality businesses, so that collectively they can define the unique features of food on the peninsula, their historic and current stories and emerging vision.
North East and West Kerry Development (NEWKD)
The training will be delivered by The Discovery Partnership on behalf of NEWKD, the implementing partner for the LEADER rural development programme.
Speaking at the virtual launch, NEWKD board member, Pat O’Shea, said:
“This new training initiative is an opportunity to bring a diverse group of individuals together to further capture and define the unique food and drink features of the Dingle Peninsula/Corca Dhuibhne.
“I look forward to seeing how the training facilitates the development of a dynamic strategy which will serve to support a positive and sustainable long term food future for the community.”
Training provider, The Discovery Partnership, boasts a team of experts which has facilitated a number of food and food tourism projects, working closely with government bodies, including regional development agencies; LEADER/local development companies; local development companies, Bord Bia and Fáilte Ireland.
Boland Marketing managing director, Caroline Boland, will act as programme coordinator.
Caroline has an in-depth personal knowledge of the region as she resides in the area and brings a wealth of professional expertise to the programme, thanks to a career in destination and tourism development.
Her key area of expertise is looking at potential tourism destinations and creating road maps for their development; as a tourism destination; their visitor experience development; organisational structure; marketing; and promotion.
Participation on the ‘Developing a Sustainable Regional Food Branding Strategy’ training programme is free, but registration is required. While the initial sessions will be delivered online, it is anticipated that the latter half of the programme will include face-to-face training, Covid-19 permitting.
For more information and/or to register, search for Dingle peninsula/Corca Dhuibhne Food on Eventbrite.