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The cluster has set 4 main strategic themes:

• Development of sustainable agriculture through the improvement of crop varieties and the development of good agricultural practices

• Food safety and traceability of fresh and processed products

• Link between diet and health

• Territorial marketing

Advantages

A region occupying a privileged position:
- At the crossroads of major communication routes, at the heart of the principal economic exchanges, the Languedoc-Roussillon region occupies a strategic position between Northern Europe and the Mediterranean Basin.
- Languedoc-Roussillon is ranked third in France for its employment growth rate. The company creation rate is also the highest of the regions particularly for innovative companies (ex. Randall M. Whaley “Incubateur de l'année” award 2007 for the Montpellier)
- Significant agricultural, food processing and nutrition sector:

Companies and Jobs   
- 1,200 companies and 21,000 jobs
- 8 billion euros in turnover, including 1 for export   

Research
Agropolis International, global Green Sciences campus, with 2,300 researchers and 10,000 people involved in research.    
7,000 students and Interns

Training
80 certified training programs from Bac +2 to Bac +8
23 higher education institutions

Close partnerships with 7 other French innovative clusters (See cluster partners section below)

Members

80 research organizations and companies are active members of the cluster

Companies: 36 of which 80% are small-and-medium-sized enterprises (SME)
 • French groups: Crédit Agricole du Midi, Saint-Charles International, Sanofi-Aventis, Sud Céréales etc.
• International groups: IBM (United States) etc.

Research and Educational institutions
31 centers, including Agropolis International, Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique (CEA), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Montpellier SupAgro, Sup de Co Montpellier, Université de Montpellier, Université de Nîmes, Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières (BRGM) etc.  

23 other organizations are also partners of the cluster, including the local councils, Township Committees of Nîmes, Montpellier and Perpignan, General Councils of Gard, Aude, Hérault and the Pyrénées, and other competitive clusters Céréales Vallée, Qualitropic, Vitagora, Pôle européen des Fruits et Légumes, Trimatec, InnoViandes and PASS (Parfums, Aromes, Saveurs, Senteurs) etc.

Current R&D Partnerships (refer to appendix)

16 projects have been certified and financed between 2006 and mid-2008, including 11 R&D projects, which represent 15 million euros in R&D

Public support examples:
- Over 1.5 million euros granted by the National Research Agency (Agence Nationale de la Recherche  or ANR) between 2005 and 2007
- Over 2.5 million euros allocated by the Single Interministerial Fund (Fonds Unique Interministériel or FUI) in the same period

International Partnerships

The Q@LI-MEDiterranée innovative cluster is the focal point for exchanges between Northern Europe and the Mediterranean basin countries.

Current
- Business meetings with Czech companies
- Agreement signed with the agri-food technopolis of Bizerte in Tunisia
- Agreement signed with the province of Berkane in Morocco
- Partnership with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia
- Contacts with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
- Member of ABC Network (European network of Agri-Bio Clusters)

Appendix: Certified R&D Projects

• More informaiton on Q@liMediterrannée