Wine study puts Limburg on world map
MAASTRICHT, 20030728 -- Limburg is one of ten wine producing regions being studied in a major comparative research project by the Maastricht based United Nations University Institute for New Technologies (UNU/INTECH).The study explores the factors behind the success of countries such as Chile, South Africa and Uruguay in simultaneously improving the quality of wine that they produce, and expanding their share in the global wine market. Specifically, it seeks to find if there are any links between knowledge sharing in wine clusters and technological innovations within the industry.
Although wine production in the Limburg region probably dates back to Roman times, the industry has never quite taken off. Limburg researchers Maartje van der Zwet and Dr Louk Box of the University of Maastrict investigated knowledge networks among wine producers in the Maastricht area, as well as in Belgian Limburg. The study found that greater progress in improving wine production has been made on the Belgian side. This finding is significant given that wine-growing in both countries only began in the late 1960s.
The global study brings together 10 researchers from both the 'old' and 'new world' wine producing countries, coordinated by Professor Lynn Mytelka, the Director of UNU/INTECH. Other countries covered in the study are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, France, Uruguay and South Africa. The findings of the study and the key policy recommendations arising will be published in a book featuring all the regions studied.
About UNU/INTECH
The Institute for New Technologies of the United Nations University (UNU/INTECH) is an international community of scholars engaged in research, postgraduate training and the dissemination of knowledge aimed at furthering the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations.
UNU/INTECH conducts research and policy-oriented analyses and undertakes capacity building in the area of new technologies: the opportunities they present, the vectors for their generation and diffusion and the nature of their economic and social impact, especially in relation to the developing countries.
UNU/INTECH's mission is to stimulate dialogue and to develop and diffuse quality information in the area of its mandate. In addition to its research, the Institute provides advanced academic training through a PhD programme and undertakes capacity building through its PhD internship programme, workshops and joint research projects with institutes and individuals in the developing world. Results of its research are published in peer reviewed journals, as books and as INTECH discussion papers.