Through partnerships with eight other organizations from four European countries, the Tikves winery has joined the transnational project ”Uncorking rural heritage: indigenous production of fermented beverages for local cultural and environmental sustainability“, which will be realized in the next three years. The project is funded by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, through the EEA and Norway Grants Fund for Regional Cooperation.

The aim of the project is to encourage the development of rural areas by improving the joint research capacity and exchange of knowledge applied in the production of “terroir” wine and cider in selected areas, such as: Vipava valley in Slovenia, Slavonia in Croatia, Tikves in Macedonia and Hardanger in Norway. Over 1.5 million euros will be invested in achieving this goal of the project.

In particular, this project is based on the concept of developing high quality agricultural products with a strong regional identity, such as wine and cider, which should contribute to sustainable local economic development, preservation of traditions, promotion of local regions worldwide and development of local tourism potentials, as well as preventing emigration from rural areas. This concept of development is successfully applied in developed countries of Western Europe, and is a result of cooperation between science, business and local institutions.

The consortium that will implement the project includes four top research and academic institutions from Norway, Croatia and Slovenia, led by the University of Nova Gorica, Slovenia. As representatives of the business are included Tikves Winery, the Association of Sider from Hardanger, Norway. The local authorities which are included in the project are the municipality of Ajdovcina from Slovenia, the city council of Hardanger from Norway and the local development agency Pozega from Croatia.