Jean-Pierre RAYNAUD, President of AAPRA [Aquitaine agency for the promotion of agri-food], Frantz JÉNOT, President of IRQUA [regional institute for agri-food quality] and Emmanuel RABAUD, President of CREPAL [Limousin regional committee for the promotion of agri-food], are delighted to announce the creation of AANA, the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Food Agency!
A result of the merger between AAPRA, IRQUA and CREPAL on 14 December in Angouleme, AANA will be the new regional agency in charge of the quality and promotion of agricultural products and agri-food for the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as from 1st January.
Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France’s leading region for agriculture and agri-food, needed a body commensurate with the issues faced by its sectors and companies.
The three regional structures, AAPRA (Aquitaine), IRQUA (Poitou-Charentes) and CREPAL (Limousin) therefore decided to merge in order to pool their skills and assets to ensure the quality and promotion of regional products and companies.
Engaged and in preparation for over a year with a view to providing a complementary and partnership-based organisation to structures already in existence, this merger allows players in the sector to avail of a single intermediary geared to the quality, promotion and support of businesses in their markets.
THE FOUR MAJOR MISSIONS
Develop and implement a regional strategy for SIQO (quality and origin certification) networks in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in response to market and societal expectations. Coordinate and support territorial measures for quality undertaken by organised production networks.
Communicate and promote in order to develop the image and reputation of products from the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region towards consumers and opinion leaders at local, national and international level. Education and awareness raising about taste and healthy eating.
Collectively support and promote the agriculture, agri-food, maritime and viticulture businesses of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, in France and abroad, through the organisation or accompaniment of trade fairs, shows or events targeting professionals or the general public. Encourage all means enabling better product provision in regional quality networks.
By including the term ALIMENTATION [Food] in its title, AANA is firmly positioned as the provider of a response adapted to society’s demands in terms of quality, origin, traceability, nutrition and health, balanced diet and taste, with special attention to the environmental impact.
AANA will devise a comprehensive strategic plan based on supporting producers, companies and networks, and on collective action aimed at professionals and territories, as well as consumers as a whole.
Quality at the forefront: Alongside all networks, AANA will build, contribute to and support a regional quality policy based on the SIQO certifications as well as territorial quality measures. The aim will be to provide consumers with an offering which is adapted to their demands and to societal changes, within organised segmentations according to the different markets. AANA will also put its skills to work in the development of Non-Agricultural Geographical Identifications (IGNA).
A regional banner backed up by the power and wealth of local identities: This is the commitment of a Nouvelle-Aquitaine strengthened by its territories and their distinctive characters. Drawing on our emblematic, high-quality products, in China and all over the world, our companies are first and foremost French, and we will contribute to flying the flag of this strong national identity and this image of quality while emphasising our specific regional features. In our domestic markets, the bond with our territories is essential and often matches consumers’ very precise expectations. In all market segments, from local to national, we will therefore promote the values of Nouvelle-Aquitaine.
Tailored support for producers and companies. On the strength of its knowledge of products and their markets, AANA will provide a support programme for companies in the various market segments: export, national, regional and local markets. It will also contribute to building a regional offer to supply the secondary schools of Nouvelle-Aquitaine with quality local products.
Origin, quality, territorial ties to its values and its know-how, food safety and nutritional balance, culture, pleasure, taste and the art of living will be the pillars of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine offering that we will provide to consumers together.
In merging, all members of the former structures become ex officio members of AANA. A transitional management board was elected at the Ordinary General Meeting until the next OGM in 2017. As from January, any networks wishing to integrate AANA are invited to join the 8 colleges of the organisation in order to participate in the construction of a collective strategy.
AANA currently has 19 employees, organised into four areas of expertise :
Management: Management of AANA has been entrusted to Anne PALCZEWSKI, (ex-director of AAPRA), while deputy management has been entrusted to Stéphane MARTEAU (ex-director of IRQUA).
Three sites: AANA will develop its activity from three locations: Bordeaux (head office), Grand Poitiers and Limoges.
