In a festive atmosphere, the Certificate of Completion Ceremony for participants of the 1st cycle of the Agrifood Leadership program (2023-2024) was successfully held on Friday, August 30, 2024, at the Open Farm Agora in the Central Vegetable Market of Athens.
Specifically, the event, attended by journalists and agrifood business executives, featured a brief review of the educational program and its achievements, followed by the awarding of Certificates of Completion to 14 Leaders who successfully completed the program.
More specifically, the Agrifood Leadership program is the first specialized leadership program for the agrifood sector in Greece, aiming to enhance leadership skills in up-and-coming talented professionals who hold leadership positions or aspire to play a dynamic role in the sector. It is a high-profile networking and education program modeled after similar programs in the USA.
The Agrifood Leadership program is implemented by the organization New Agriculture New Generation through a founding donation by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), with Rutgers University of the USA serving as the Technical and Strategic Advisor. The program is held under the auspices of the Ministry of Rural Development and Food and supported by numerous companies and organizations, including: COMPO EXPERT, the Consortium of Cooperatives and Producer Groups of Imathia Prefecture, Batsolakis Meat School, the Chios Mastiha Growers Association, the Messinia Union, A.TH. KOUIMTZIS S.A., NuAqua, DAY GROUP, BAYER, COSMOCERT, and SKY EXPRESS.
Participants took part in 8 educational three-day sessions, during which they visited companies in the sector and decision-making centers in various parts of Greece. There was also a visit to Brussels, where they met with European institutions related to agrifood, as well as companies based in the city.
The trainees also participated in leadership role activities and online training. Overall, they completed over 90 hours of intensive high-level courses covering topics such as Leadership, Analytical Skills, Marketing Principles, Governance, Agricultural Economics and Policy, among others.
The goal of the program is to empower tomorrow’s Leaders in the Agrifood Sector, prioritizing sustainability, technology, participation, market orientation, collaboration, adaptability, and resilience. In the medium term, the program aims to create a community of dynamic professionals in the agrifood sector who will be in open communication and cooperation to contribute to the overall development of the productive ecosystem.
At the Certificate Ceremony, Mrs. Effie Lazaridou, CEO of the organization New Agriculture New Generation, delivered an address in which she stated, “The agrifood sector is at a critical crossroads and needs to redefine its role in the economy and society. We need producers, entrepreneurs, and professionals in the sector to lead this evolution, create a new vision, and design new strategies, overcoming today’s shortcomings and limitations.”
A video message was also delivered by Robert M. Goodman, Executive Dean Emeritus, University Distinguished Professor – Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources at Rutgers University, USA, who stated, “Congratulations on completing the Leadership Program of the New Agriculture New Generation organization. This program is the first of its kind to be offered in Europe. Its main goal is to create, over time, a community of leaders in agriculture and food in Greece. Leaders who not only know how to better manage their businesses but who also care about and promote the cross-sectoral needs that affect everyone—strengthening not only individual businesses but also supporting the common needs of the sector and the broader public.”
Dimitris Voloudakis, Capacity Building Director and Program Manager, also gave a speech, saying, “Our ambition is to cultivate together the values and skills necessary for the creation of the future leaders that the Greek and global agriculture and food sectors need so much. The challenges are great. In less than 20 years, the number of farmers in our country will be reduced to a third. The countryside is at risk of desertification, and our land is at risk of desertification due to climate change. The sector needs those who will lead producers towards more sustainable food and energy production systems. The next steps of the program include the creation of a networking, communication, and support framework that will also welcome future generations of program graduates.”
Members of the Program Advisory Committee were also present at the event, including Mrs. Dina Lazari, Member of the Board of Directors, Hellenic Exchanges – Athens Stock Exchange (ATHEX), Mr. Panos Hamakiotis, Regional Director EMEA and Managing Director of COMPO EXPERT Hellas & Spain, and Mrs. Anastasia Sarhosoglou, Agronomist and Food Scientist, MSc, MEd.
Supporters of the Certificate Ceremony: Lafazanis Winery.
The 14 Leaders who successfully completed the program are:
- Andreas Akratos (Athens) – Interpreter-Translator, Investor in hydroponic greenhouses and poultry farms
- Kyriakos Gikas (Igoumenitsa) – Asparagus and other crop producer, Cooperative member
- Georgios Dalianis (Halkidiki) – Agronomist, Founder of CERELCO AGROTRADE
- Ioanna Doufexi (Athens) – Agronomist, Food Technologist, Head of Studies at Batsolakis Meat School
- Christos Zacharakis (Agrinio) – Economist, Marketing Manager, Producer (corn, alfalfa, citrus fruits)
- Fani Zacharouli (Larissa) – Agronomist-Agricultural Economist, Executive at an agricultural consultancy company
- Dimitris Misiakas (Veria) – Forester, Project Manager at the Imathia Producer Groups Consortium
- Eleni Bikou (Thessaloniki) – Economist, CFO at AGROTECH
- Konstantinos Bogis (Chios) – Economist, CFO at the Chios Mastiha Growers Association
- Konstantinos Nikolaidis (Halkidiki) – Agronomist, Olive producer and entrepreneur
- Georgia Panagopoulou (Athens) – Chemical Engineer, Digital Marketer for wine promotion, Wine branding entrepreneur
- Stefania Rizou (Karditsa-Athens) – Financial Consultant/Auditor, Agrifood Startup founder
- Ioannis Senko (Larissa) – Beekeeper, President of the Beekeeping Cooperative, Youtuber
- Christina Chatzimichail (Larissa) – Chemical Engineer, Shareholder in an agricultural supplies company
Undoubtedly, the success of this 1st cycle of the Agrifood Leadership program, implemented by New Agriculture New Generation with the contribution of Rutgers University, creates a significant legacy for the future, as it demonstrates that there is talent interested in developing new knowledge and acquiring the skills that will lead to the overall transformation of the agrifood sector in Greece.
The new cycle of the Agrifood Leadership program begins in fall 2024, with applications open until September 15, 2024.
