The fifth experiential three-day session of the Agrifood Leadership program, the first specialized leadership program in Agriculture and Food implemented by the organization New Agriculture New Generation, was successfully held in Kalamata from February 23rd to 25th. The sponsor for this session was the Union of Messinia. The goal of the Agrifood Leadership program is to provide participants with the opportunity to become part of a community of leaders, network with accomplished professionals in the field of Agriculture and Food, and discuss new trends in production, processing, and the supply chain.
With Anastasia Sarchosoglou, Agronomist, Food Technologist, and Adult Trainer, as the facilitator, participants formed effective teams, focusing on selecting the right people who combine unique skills and attributes to achieve common goals. Recognizing the difference between management and leadership, they were equipped with the necessary knowledge to guide the team towards the right outcome, enhancing cohesion through empathy, social skills, and effective communication. Additionally, they developed decision-making and crisis management skills, ensuring that each member contributes positively to the team.
Participants of the program had the opportunity to visit the Anagnostopoulos olive press and observe the process of olive oil production and standardization. They also discussed with trainers from the Kalamata Olive and Olive Oil School about the export of Kalamata olive oil to the global market.
The sponsor of the three-day session was the Union of Messinia. We would like to thank Evangelos Xygkoros, President of the Messinia Chamber of Commerce, for his contribution to the organization of this specific training.
The Agrifood Leadership program of the organization New Agriculture New Generation is the first specialized Leadership program in Agriculture in Greece. It lasts for 90 hours and includes 8 experiential three-day sessions with training, systematic networking actions, on-site visits to decision-making centers in the agri-food sector, leadership role-taking activities, as well as 2 online training sessions. The program’s units include, among others, basic concepts such as Leadership, Analytical Skills, Marketing Principles, Governance, Agricultural Economics, and Policy. The goal of the program is to empower future Leaders of the Agriculture and Food Sector to prioritize sustainability, technology, market orientation, cooperation, adaptability, and resilience.
The Agrifood Leadership program is implemented by the organization New Agriculture New Generation through the founding donation of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF). Technical and Strategic Advisor is Rutgers University, USA.
The Experiential Three-Day sponsors are the companies COMPO EXPERT, KOUIMTZIS Group, Batsolakis Meat School, and DayGroup, the Union of Chios Mastic Growers, the Consortium of Producer Groups of Imathia, and the Union of Messinia. The Program sponsor is the company BAYER. The Program and Certification sponsor is COSMOCERT. The airline sponsor is SKY EXPRESS, the Greek airline. The program is under the auspices of the Ministry of Rural Development and Food.
The next educational visit of the Agrifood Leadership will take place in Brussels between March 4th and 7th, 2024, sponsored by the airline SKY EXPRESS.
