Author: george

The 4th training weekend of Agrifood Leadership 2024-2025 was successfully completed from Friday, January 21, to Sunday, January 23, 2025, in Thessaloniki. This educational program focused on the theme “Marketing Strategy: Export Marketing & Export Market Research,” marking another significant milestone in the journey of Agrifood Leadership. The program is implemented by the organization New Agriculture New Generation through the founding donation of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), with the support of Rutgers University (USA) as a Technical and Strategic Advisor and under the auspices of the Ministry of Rural Development and Food.

During the training, participants had the opportunity to enrich their knowledge through educational activities, on-site visits, and networking events, strengthening their leadership skills in the agri-food sector. The program’s trainer was Babis Filadarlis, MBA, MIEx., DipM., Export Strategist.

First Day: A Visit to Lidl Hellas Logistics Center

The first day of training began with a visit to the Lidl Hellas Logistics Center in Sindos, the largest Lidl logistics center in the Balkans. Participants had the honor of attending a presentation by Martin Brandenburger, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Lidl Hellas, who shared the company’s philosophy, vision, and strategic goals while answering questions and engaging in discussions with attendees.

“We are delighted to share Lidl Hellas’ knowledge, innovation, and experience with young professionals who envision Greece as a leader in the agri-food sector. As we already demonstrate—with 67% of our turnover coming from Greek suppliers—we will continue to be key players in the effort for high-quality products,” Mr. Brandenburger emphasized.

He was welcomed by Effie Lazaridou, CEO of New Agriculture New Generation, and Dimitris Voloudakis, Program Director.

Following that, Nikos Lysigakis, Senior Consultant for Corporate Affairs at Lidl Hellas, presented the company’s initiatives within the framework of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance), highlighting the best practices followed by Lidl Hellas.

The first day concluded with training by Babis Filadarlis on export strategies and marketing.

Second Day: Deep Dive into Export Strategies

The training continued on the second day at the Lidl Hellas Logistics Center, focusing on the same theme. Mr. Filadarlis conducted interactive training sessions, analyzing successful case studies from the industry.

A Strong Learning and Networking Platform

The 4th Agrifood Leadership training session provided a strong learning and collaboration platform, bringing participants closer together and laying the foundation for shaping a new generation of leaders in the agri-food sector. Through educational and experiential activities, participants developed leadership skills, strengthened teamwork, and were inspired by the growth potential of the Greek agrifood industry.

Additionally, this year’s participants had the opportunity to interact with program alumni, exchanging experiences and insights.

The organization New Agriculture New Generation expresses its heartfelt gratitude to Lidl Hellas, sponsor of the training weekend, for its excellent hospitality, impeccable organization, and invaluable support in hosting the program.

A meeting with highly insightful discussions on the agri-food sector took place on Thursday, February 20, at Agora Open Farm in Rentis. Specifically, within the framework of the networking event of the acceleration program “AgroAnelixi – Farmers of the Future,” implemented by the organization New Agriculture New Generation, executives and professionals from the agri-food sector, program beneficiaries, and journalists participated.

The event began with a short welcome speech and a presentation of the program by Ms. Effie Lazaridou, CEO of New Agriculture New Generation, while the coordination was undertaken by Mr. Stavros Papadopoulos, Entrepreneurship Development Manager of the same organization.

Two panel discussions were held during the event.

The first panel focused on Agricultural Cooperatives, their needs, and the challenges they face. The panel included:

• Ms. Stella Avgoustaki, Journalist, Notice Content and Services,
• Mr. Giorgos Apostolopoulos, Lawyer, GDPR Specialist and Head of the GDPR Business Team,
• Ms. Eirini Spanouli, Economist, Founder of the “Karpologio” Producers’ Group,
• and Mr. Nikos Gousios, Vice President of the “O Enippeas” Agricultural Cooperative of the Farsala Region.

Through the discussion, the role of modern cooperatives in developing the agri-food ecosystem was highlighted, while a particularly productive dialogue took place on the strategies and practices they must adopt to adapt to contemporary challenges.

Next, the second panel discussion followed, titled “The Benefits of Processing in the Primary Sector, Innovation, and Extroversion.” The panel included:

• Mr. Giannis Panagos, Journalist, Agrenda,
• Mr. Panagiotis Stamatopoulos, Agronomist – Producer,
• Mr. Nikolaos Rachoutis, Producer – Founder of Emmelia,
• Ms. Xenia Galetsi, Producer – Founder of Megas Karpos,
• and Ms. Maria-Gavriela Anagnostopoulou, CEO of Envolve Entrepreneurship.

During the discussion, successful examples and smart practices were presented that can contribute to improving the efficiency of agri-food businesses.

The “AgroAnelixi – Farmers of the Future” accelerator has been implemented for the 5th consecutive year by New Agriculture New Generation through the founding donation of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) and with the support of businesses from the broader agri-food ecosystem, as well as institutional bodies of local governance.

The program is aimed at cooperatives, processing units and businesses, producer groups, farmers, livestock breeders, beekeepers, and small-scale agri-food enterprises that process or wish to process their production, with the goal of creating new differentiated products or improving existing ones.

Applications for the 2025 cycle will open soon.

Networking events provide accelerator participants from all previous years with the opportunity to connect, discuss critical issues related to the development of the agricultural sector, and explore the importance of innovation in agricultural production. Additionally, participants exchanged knowledge and experiences, creating new opportunities for collaboration and growth.

The new year begins, bringing with it Hope, Optimism, and our Commitment to a sustainable future for agrifood, rural communities, the environment, and the planet.

On a global scale, critical issues surrounding food systems remain at the forefront of public discourse and policy decisions due to the impacts of the climate crisis, the need for food security, and the transformations brought about by the advent of Artificial Intelligence.

The UN’s World Food Forum last October in Rome, under the theme “Good food for all, for today and tomorrow,” highlighted the need for expanded collaborations to transition towards more resilient, sustainable food systems. Education, support for rural communities, and investments in innovation are fundamental elements in the bold pursuit of a new balance between agroecology and large-scale industrial production, ensuring food security and the survival of vulnerable populations.

From another perspective, but also in search of direction in our uncertain world, the recently published “Future of Work Report, January 2025” by the World Economic Forum outlines the trends shaping entrepreneurship and the job market in the coming years. Key drivers include artificial intelligence and its application both at an individual professional and corporate level, as well as the utilization of robotics and autonomous systems, which are gaining significant traction in the agrifood sector. The demand for frontline manual labor, both in primary production and food processing, is expected to see some of the largest increases in absolute numbers over the coming years. These findings should fuel reflection, as well as ambitious decisions at both national and European levels.

Of course, the start of a new year is always a milestone for reflecting on the legacy left by the previous one. For our organization, Νέα Γεωργία Νέα Γενιά (New Agriculture New Generation), 2024 was filled with challenges, changes, successes, and recognition. With a strategy focused on outward engagement, we enhanced our role and strengthened our presence both in Greece and internationally. Most importantly, we created a meaningful, tangible impact on the lives of thousands of rural people and their communities, not only in Greece but also across the broader Mediterranean region.

A Year of Recognition and Achievements

Some of the most outstanding moments of the year included the broad recognition of our work, marked by our award from The Hellenic Initiative, the leading institution of the Greek diaspora, during its 8th annual gala in London. Additionally, we were invited by the Consulate General of Greece in New York to present our work to the Greek-American community.

Equally significant was our recognition for the second time as a European Best Practice by the DG Agri, acknowledging our role in transferring knowledge and promoting lifelong learning in the primary sector as part of the EU CAP Network conference “Skills and lifelong learning for agricultural advisory and training service providers.”

The year also brought major developments in our programmatic actions, with new flagship international collaborations. A key success was the completion of the international program “Promoting Small-Scale Aquaculture Sustainability in Southeast Mediterranean”, in partnership with the Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO), the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean, and with the support of ELOPY and PASTI. This initiative supported the sustainability of small-scale aquaculture producers from countries such as Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, and Tunisia through training and the exchange of best practices.

Another particularly encouraging milestone was the launch of the “Social Farming 360” program in 2024, where we were selected as one of just 50 organizations worldwide (out of thousands of applicants) in the 1st Global Innovation Challenge of the Citi Foundation. This successful collaboration is now continuing into the 2nd Global Innovation Challenge in partnership with PRAKSIS.

A critical part of our work was also our emergency intervention programs, such as the Emergency Relief initiative, which supported the recovery of beekeeping in Thessaly following the devastating Daniel storm.

At the same time, we continued efforts to support Greek agrifood, including the Olive Oil Academy, the Poultry Farming Academy, beekeeping initiatives, and programs that strengthen small food processing businesses and family-run operations. TrophyΤροφή has now become an established institution for agrifood entrepreneurship, while the Agrifood Leadership program offers strategic training for industry professionals.

Our programs have received further recognition, including awards at the Bravo Sustainability Dialogue & Awards 2024, where we won in the “Protection of Biodiversity” category for our program “Mastic Trees: Securing the Future of a National Product – A Knowledge Transfer and Innovation Network in Chios.” Additionally, we were shortlisted for the global “Local Adaptation Champions Awards” by the Global Center of Adaptation. Personally, I had the honor of being named NGO Manager of the Year 2024, an achievement that reflects our collective dedication and the substantial impact we are making in the ecosystem.

Our participation in high-profile international forums was also crucial, including the 9th Our Ocean Conference, the IX Delphi Economic Forum, the Regional Aquaculture Conference for the Mediterranean and Black Sea (organized by the FAO’s General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean), and leading conferences in Greece such as the 22nd Corporate Responsibility Conference (“The Pale Blue Dot”), the Regional Growth Conference, Agrown, as well as major exhibitions such as the 88th Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) and Agrotica.

Looking Forward to 2025

None of these achievements would have been possible without the talent and dedication of our team members and the unwavering support of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation through its founding donation, as well as the trust and contributions of our numerous supporters and sponsors, whom I sincerely thank. The members of our General Assembly, our Advisory Committee, and our valued partners, particularly at the School of Environmental and Biological Studies at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, with whom we have maintained a strategic partnership since our establishment, have also played a vital role in our success.

The year 2024 has set the bar high for 2025. Guided by optimism, collaboration, and our commitment to transforming the agrifood sector, we move forward with the goal of even greater achievements for the growth of the ecosystem and the prosperity of rural areas.

Effie Lazaridou, CEO, NANG

With great pleasure, New Agriculture New Generation announces yet another significant distinction, having been awarded at the Bravo Sustainability Dialogue & Awards 2024 in the “Environment” pillar and the “Protection of Biodiversity” category for the program “Mastic Trees: Securing the Future of a National Product – Knowledge and Innovation Transfer Network in Chios.” This program contributes to improving the production of an important traditional product.

The award ceremony took place on Monday, December 2, 2024, in the Ceremony Hall of the Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation in Athens.

The award-winning, innovative program “Mastic Trees: Securing the Future of a National Product – Knowledge and Innovation Transfer Network in Chios” is designed and implemented in collaboration with the Laboratory of Floriculture of the Department of Agriculture at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and the Chios Mastiha Growers Association.

The program is co-financed by New Agriculture New Generation through the founding donation of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) and the Chios Mastiha Growers Association. It aims at the sustainable development of mastiha cultivation by establishing local knowledge-sharing communities and best practices across the 24 Mastiha villages, utilizing tools such as Train-the-Trainer and Farmer-to-Farmer Learning. The initiative builds on the success of the previous project, “Mastic Trees: Modern Propagation and Cultivation Techniques,” which ran from October 2021 to May 2023 and benefited 200 mastiha growers.

The award was received on behalf of New Agriculture New Generation by Mr. Antonis Papadopoulos, Entrepreneurship Development Director. Also in attendance were Ms. Archontou Antonatou, Fundraising Manager of the organization; Mr. Ilias Smyrnioudis, General Manager – Head of Research and Development of the Chios Mastiha Growers Association; Mr. Stefanos Chatzilazarou, Associate Professor at the Laboratory of Floriculture of the Department of Agriculture at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki; and Dr. Kostas Stefanos, E.DI.P. of the same university.

Beyond skill development, the award-winning program promotes the creation of a network for the transfer and exchange of knowledge and experiences, in collaboration with the Chios Mastiha Growers Association. Its goal is to improve cultivation techniques and enhance productivity. This award recognizes the importance of preserving and strengthening a national treasure, Chios Mastiha, ensuring its future through innovation and collaboration.

The scientific team behind the award-winning project includes experienced university professors, led by Associate Professor Mr. Stefanos Chatzilazarou.

Participation in the program remains open, aiming for the continuous empowerment of the local mastiha-growing community.