An event with international interest in the field of aquaculture was held on Tuesday, June 11th, at the Museum of Cycladic Art, organized by the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and the organization New Agriculture New Generation, with the support of the Hellenic Aquaculture Producers Organization (HAPO) and the Panhellenic Association of Ichthyologists (PASTI).
The event marked the beginning of the training and business development program “Promoting small-scale aquaculture sustainability in Southeast Mediterranean,” which will involve 5 small-scale aquaculture units from the Mediterranean, selected after an open competition by the GFCM in their countries.
Greetings were delivered by Ms. Maria Damanaki, former Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of the European Union, Mr. Houssam Hamza, Aquaculture Officer of the GFCM, and Ms. Effie Lazaridou, CEO of the organization New Agriculture New Generation.
Ms. Damanaki emphasized the importance of aquaculture for the future of food security and praised the significance of this initiative and its implementation in Greece. Mr. Hamza noted, “Small-scale aquaculture is an integral part of Mediterranean heritage and significantly contributes to the Mediterranean diet. Supporting and modernizing tools to ensure the well-being of aquaculturists, aquatic food products, and the environment is of vital importance.” Ms. Lazaridou presented the general philosophy of the “Promoting small-scale aquaculture sustainability in Southeast Mediterranean” program and its importance, stating among other things, “We are proud that Greece is a leader in the field of aquaculture. The food produced from aquaculture can provide a sustainable and nutritious source with a lower carbon footprint compared to other animal production activities and support food security in the Mediterranean. In this context, it is an honor for our organization to collaborate with the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean, which entrusted us with such an important initiative. As an organization, we had the opportunity to adapt our exclusive business acceleration methodologies to serve a promising sector that can become a sustainable solution for feeding humanity. We are convinced that this effort will mark the beginning of further initiatives for a sustainable food value chain from aquatic ecosystems.”
Three particularly interesting thematic discussions on the aquaculture sector followed.
The first panel, titled “Trends in the aquaculture industry at the international and regional level,” featured participants Leonidas Papacharisis, Scientific Advisor of the Hellenic Aquaculture Producers Organization (HAPO), Vlasis Tsesos, CEO of Agritrack, and Ioannis Tsovenis, Founder of MicroPhykos, moderated by Mr. Alexandros Nousias, Country Director of Envolve Entrepreneurship. The discussion focused on new trends already shaping the industry, such as the use of new IoT technologies, the choice to utilize new species, such as algae, and the importance of producing and utilizing data generated from the entire value chain of the industry, also highlighting the contribution of technology to its sustainability.
The second panel, titled “Linking research and industry advancements to the market,” featured Associate Professor Mr. Manolis Malandrakis from the Agricultural University of Athens and Mr. Panos Kalogiourgas, Strategy Manager of Deloitte, moderated by Mr. Antonis Papadopoulos, Director of Business Development at New Agriculture New Generation. The discussion focused on how academic research can contribute to the industry’s development with new production methods, the introduction of new species, and the creation of efficient healthy foods while being directly connected to market needs and supporting the development of new innovative solutions for aquaculture.
The third and final panel, titled “Highlighting the role of Producer Organizations, Associations, and Chambers of Commerce in the industry’s progress and competitiveness,” featured Ms. Ismini Bogdanou, Marketing and Communication Director of the Hellenic Aquaculture Producers Organization (HAPO), and Dr. Michalis Chatzievstathiou, Member of the Board of the Panhellenic Association of Ichthyologists (PASTI), moderated by Mr. George Paximadis, aquaculture expert of the GFCM. Through a very interesting dialogue, the role of synergies in the sector was highlighted, the need for the public and private sectors to connect and interact, and the importance of continuous information for all productive parts of the industry to be competitive and sustainable.
The event concluded with the awarding of executives from 5 small-scale aquaculture units selected to participate in the training and skills development program. The units come from the following countries: Egypt, Algeria, Lebanon, Morocco, and Tunisia, and the awarded executives will participate in a business acceleration program, which will include: a) An intensive ten-day training workshop in Greece from 12/6 to 21/6. The training workshops, taught by an international educational team, cover topics such as business development, innovation, sustainability, technological trends, safety, and sales. b) Visits to model aquaculture units in our country, as well as research laboratories, to be informed about Greek expertise in the sector. c) 100 hours of personalized consulting from specialized advisors to improve their businesses.
The holding of this event for the aquaculture sector in Athens and the choice of Greece as the implementation site of the international program highlights the significant role our country holds in the sector and the prospects that are forming for it to become a point of international interest.”
