Νέα Γεωργία Νέα Γενιά

8th TrophyΤροφή Meet-Up in Corinth on “Innovative Solutions for the Transition to a Circular Bioeconomy – Eliminating Plastic Waste in Agriculture and Food Packaging”

The 8th TrophyΤροφή Meet-Up, on the theme “Innovative Solutions for the Transition to a Circular Bioeconomy – Eliminating Plastic Waste in Agriculture and Food Packaging”, was successfully completed with active participation. The event took place on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, at the Corinth Chamber of Commerce.

TrophyΤροφή is an initiative of the New Agriculture New Generation organization, implemented since 2019 through the founding donation of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF). It is a pioneering project that invests in the development and strengthening of the Greek innovation ecosystem in the agri-food sector, highlighting and rewarding innovative business ideas and startups operating in agritech, food technology, and agrologistics, with products and services that use innovative technologies, even at early stages of development (pre-seed).

The 8th TrophyΤροφή Meet-Up was organized with DS Smith as the main sponsor and the support of the Corinth Chamber of Commerce. The event began with greetings from Mr. Panagiotis Louziotis, President of the Corinth Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Nikolaos Stavrelis, Mayor of Corinth, Mr. Theodosios Roussos, Sales Manager at DS Smith, along with a presentation of DS Smith Case Studies, highlighting best practices and innovations in food packaging. Greetings were also delivered by Mr. Spyridon Zacharias, Deputy Regional Governor for Agricultural Economy and Veterinary Affairs of the Peloponnese Region.

The first discussion panel, titled “Smart and Sustainable Food Packaging: Where Innovation Meets Entrepreneurship”, featured Mr. Nikos Papavasileiou, Manager of the Kiatou Cooperative Union I.K.E., Mr. Markos Leggas, Executive Director of European Programs & Innovation and Vice President of Agribator – Peloponnese Innovation & Agritech Center, Ms. Anastasia Bravou, Agronomist at Bravos Grapes Stimagas S.A., and Mr. Konstantinos Xydis, Salad Farm Xydis K. – Kolopastas D. – Nezis K. O.E. The panel was moderated by Mr. Fanis Kourembes, Agronomist and Board Member of the Hellenic Chamber of Geotechnical Sciences, and concluded with a short Q&A session.

The second panel, “Sustainable Packaging in Practice: Scientific Knowledge with Horizontal Market Application”, included Mr. Ioannis Lagoyannis, Director of SAEK Corinth – Nemea Agricultural School, Mr. Dimitris Tsamparlis, Owner of “Genuine Flavors,” and Mr. Vasilis Mandrekas, CEO of Mandrekas Dairy S.A. The discussion was moderated by Dr. Anastasios Kampolis, Chemist at CheMa Laboratories.

In the final part of the program, participants of the Meet-Up took part in an idea-generation workshop, where they developed and presented innovative proposals. Following a vote, the best idea and winning team were announced.

TrophyΤροφή 2025 highlights the importance of sustainable development in the agri-food sector and provides a unique opportunity for knowledge exchange, networking, and promotion of innovative ideas that contribute to the transition to a circular bioeconomy.

With a Great Turnout and Excellent Discussions, the Final Event of the “Open Olive Oil Academy” Program Took Place

With remarkable participation and outstanding presentations, the Final Event of the “Open Olive Oil Academy” program was held on Friday, October 10, 2025, at the facilities of the Agricultural Cooperative “Union of Messinia” in Kalamata.

The event marked the successful completion of the program, which aimed to help olive growers in Messinia adopt modern olive-growing practices to improve their production processes and enhance their competitiveness and extroversion.

The program was implemented by the organization New Agriculture New Generation, through the founding donation of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) and funding from the Captain Vassilis and Carmen Constantakopoulos Foundation, with the support of Bayer, BASF, and PJ Condelis SA, in collaboration with the Union of Messinia. The program was also held under the auspices of the Region of Peloponnese.

The event was opened with a greeting by Ms. Effie Lazaridou, CEO of New Agriculture New Generation, followed by Mr. Konstantinos Tsoronis, Head of Agri-Food Actions at the Captain Vassilis and Carmen Constantakopoulos Foundation.

Greetings were also delivered by Mr. Giannis Pazios, Director of the Union of Messinia; Mr. Periklis Mantas, Member of Parliament for Messinia (New Democracy); Mr. Stathis Anastasopoulos, Deputy Regional Governor of Messinia; Mr. Vasilis Koutrafouris, Deputy Mayor of Kalamata; and Mr. Vangelis Xygoros, President of the Messinia Chamber of Commerce.

Two panel discussions followed, focusing on key issues of high importance for the olive sector, with the participation of distinguished scientists, institutional representatives, and industry professionals.

The first panel, titled “Addressing Contaminants in Olive Cultivation,” was moderated by Dr. Dimitris Voloudakis, General Director of Programs at New Agriculture New Generation. Speakers included Dr. Nikoleta-Kleio Denaxa, Assistant Professor of Arboriculture and Olive Cultivation at the Agricultural University of Athens; Dr. Konstantinos Dimopoulos, Emeritus Professor of Biochemistry and Food Chemistry at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and member of the Scientific Committee 4E; and Mr. Ioannis Iliadis, President of the Panmessinian Association of Olive Mill Owners. A special intervention was made by Mr. Giorgos Mitrakos, General Director of SEVITEL (Association of Greek Olive Oil Standardization Industries).

The second panel, titled “Challenges & Opportunities in the Olive Sector,” was moderated by journalist Mr. Themis Kanellopoulos (BEST TV). Speakers included Mr. Thanasis Langouranis, Agronomist, MSc, Head of the Monitoring Unit for Pillar I Interventions at the Special Service for the Implementation of Direct Support and Sectoral Interventions, Ministry of Rural Development and Food; Mr. Kostas Peimanidis, Director of Business Development at AGROVIM S.A. and member of the North American Olive Oil Association (NAOOA); and Mr. Giorgos Katsoulis, President of the Association of Agricultural and Cooperative Organizations and Enterprises of Greece (SASOEE).

This was followed by a presentation by Ms. Efstathia Georgakopoulou, Head of the Directorate of Agricultural Economy & Veterinary Services of the Regional Unit of Messinia, on the Olive Register and its potential for recording and rationally managing the olive sector.

The event concluded with the presentation of the program’s outcomes and key findings, confirming the significant contribution of the “Open Olive Oil Academy” to strengthening producers and promoting knowledge and innovation in Messinia.

Throughout the program, participants completed 54 hours of training, through six two-day in-person classes held in Kalamata.

The first training cycle (June 20 – July 5, 2025) focused on issues of olive grove establishment and management, olive tree physiology, cultivation practices, and plant protection in relation to climate change. The second cycle (September 5 – October 11, 2025) covered topics such as economic concepts, soil management, quality certifications, olive oil processing, as well as olive tourism and olive oil tasting.

In parallel, a webinar was held on the topic “Access to the U.S. Market: What the Consumer Looks For,” presented by Dr. Tasos Kyriakides, Assistant Professor at the Yale School of Public Health and researcher at the Yale Center for Analytical Sciences (YCAS).

Through the program, olive growers in Messinia gained valuable knowledge about modern olive cultivation and strengthened their ability to improve the efficiency of their olive groves and the quality of their products.

In her statement, Ms. Effie Lazaridou noted:

“The Open Olive Oil Academy emerged as an idea a few years ago when we realized that, as an organization supporting the agri-food sector for over seven years, we had to do something specifically for olive growing — a highly dynamic field with a millennia-old tradition in Greece, which perhaps today faces more challenges than we would like to admit. Climate change, intense competition, the evolving production and trade landscape, and perhaps a small delay in adopting new practices and technologies — all bring us to the point where we must claim even more dynamically the position our symbolic product deserves in global markets.”

The “Open Olive Oil Academy” by New Agriculture New Generation addresses a crucial sector of Greek agriculture and significantly contributes to improving its productivity and competitiveness. This was the second successful edition of the program, following its earlier implementation in North Kynouria.

The organization aims to continue the program in other regions of Greece in the future.

“Open Olive Oil Academy – Messinia” | Final Event in Kalamata with speeches on key topics in olive cultivation

With a content-rich Final Event, the program “Open Olive Oil Academy – Messinia” comes to a close on Friday, October 10, 2025, at 18:00, at the facilities of the Agricultural Cooperative “Union of Messinia” (Thouria near Praktiker, E.O. Kalamata – Tripoli, Kalamata 24100).

The event marks the successful completion of the program, which was implemented with the goal of helping olive growers in Messinia adopt modern olive cultivation practices, in order to improve their production processes and enhance their competitiveness and extroversion.

The program was co-funded by New Agriculture New Generation, through the founding donation of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), as well as by the Captain Vassilis and Carmen Constantakopoulos Foundation, with the support of Bayer, BASF, and PJ Condelis S.A. and implemented in collaboration with the Union of Messinia. The program was held under the auspices of the Region of Peloponnese.

The event will be attended by representatives of local government and institutional bodies, representatives of New Agriculture New Generation and of the organizations and companies supporting the program, as well as participants of the program.

The event will feature two discussion panels:

First Discussion Panel: “Addressing Contaminants in Olive Cultivation”

Moderator: Dr. Dimitris Voloudakis – General Director of Programs, New Agriculture New Generation

Speakers:

– Ms. Nikoleta-Kleio Denaxa – Assistant Professor of Arboriculture – Olive Growing, Laboratory of Arboriculture, Agricultural University of Athens

– Mr. Konstantinos Dimopoulos – Emeritus Professor of Biochemistry & Food Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens & Member of the Scientific Committee of 4E (Scientific Society of Olive Encyclopedists)

– Mr. Ioannis Iliadis – President of the Pan-Messinian Association of Olive Mill Owners

Second Discussion Panel: “Challenges & Opportunities in the Olive Sector”

Moderator: Themis Kanellopoulos – Journalist, Best TV Kalamata

Speakers:

– Mr. Thanasis Langouranis – Agronomist, AUA, MSc, Head of the Unit for Monitoring Pillar I Interventions, Special Service for the Implementation of Direct Payments and Sectoral Interventions, General Secretariat for Union Resources and Infrastructure – Ministry of Rural Development & Food

– Mr. Giorgos Katsoulis – President, Association of Agricultural and Cooperative Organizations and Enterprises of Greece (SASOEE)

– Mr. Kostas Peimanidis – Director of Business Development at AGROVIM S.A. & Member of the North American Olive Oil Association (NAOOA)

A presentation on the Olive Register will follow, delivered by Ms. Efstathia Georgakopoulou – Head of the Department of Rural Economy & Veterinary Services of Messinia.

The event will conclude with a brief presentation of the results and key findings that emerged from the completion of the program.

We invite all olive growers, stakeholders, and friends of olive cultivation to attend the event and share with us the outcomes and future prospects of the program.

The Program

Throughout the program, participants completed 54 hours of training across six two-day sessions, conducted in person in Kalamata.

The first cycle (June 20 – July 5, 2025) focused on topics such as olive grove establishment and preparation, olive physiology, cultivation practices, and plant protection in the context of climate change.

The second cycle (September 5 – October 11, 2025) covered economic concepts, soil management, new trends and certification systems, olive oil quality and processing, tasting, agritourism, and the development of visitable olive groves.

Through the program, olive growers gained comprehensive knowledge of modern practices, enhancing the productivity, quality, and competitiveness of their products.

The “Open Olive Oil Academy” by New Agriculture New Generation addresses a crucial sector of the Greek agricultural economy and makes a significant contribution to improving its performance and competitiveness. This is the second successful implementation of the program, following the previous one in North Kynouria. The organization aims to extend the program to other regions of Greece in the future.

Online Workshop: Access to the U.S. Market – What the Consumer is Looking For

Within the framework of the program “Open Olive Oil Academy – Messinia,” a specialized online workshop will be held on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, from 17:00 to 19:00, with the theme: “Access to the U.S. Market: What the Consumer is Looking For”.

The speaker will be Dr. Tasos Kyriakides, Assistant Professor at the Yale School of Public Health, Yale Center for Analytical Sciences (YCAS).

The aim of the workshop is to provide participants in the sector with valuable knowledge for entering and developing in international markets, with a focus on consumer trends in the U.S.

Participation is free!

The workshop will be held via the ZOOM platform, and you can join by following the LINK.

Agrifood Leadership 2024-2025. With certificate awards for the new generation of agrifood leaders and powerful messages for the future, the closing ceremony took place at the Agricultural University of Athens

With emotion and in a particularly warm atmosphere, the Agrifood Leadership program for the 2024–2025 period came to an end, following the completion of its 8th educational activity, which took place in Athens from Thursday, June 12 to Saturday, June 14, 2025. The participants attended intensive training seminars and undertook study visits, as the program reached its final phase, officially concluded with the certificate award ceremony.

The Agrifood Leadership program is implemented by New Agriculture New Generation, through the founding donation of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF). The technical and strategic advisor of the program is Rutgers University (USA), while the program is held under the auspices of the Ministry of Rural Development and Food.

During the three-day activity, participants attended a specialized seminar titled: “Social Media and Personal Branding – The Leader’s Perspective,” which was held on Thursday, June 12 at the facilities of New Agriculture New Generation.

On Friday, June 13, they visited Piraeus Bank, where they had a working meeting with executives from the Agricultural Banking Department, focusing on programs that support the agrifood sector. This was followed by a visit to the Ministry of Rural Development and Food, where they met with the Special Service for the Management of the Strategic Plan of the Common Agricultural Policy.

The three-day event culminated on Saturday at the Agricultural University of Athens, in the hall of the Agricultural Museum. The day began with a speech by Ms. Effie Lazariou, CEO of New Agriculture New Generation, who presented the organization’s vision and role in strengthening the new generation of agrifood professionals. She stated:
“The Agrifood Leadership program is of strategic importance to our organization, as we aim to create a vibrant community of leaders in the agrifood sector who will drive its transformation and adaptation to modern conditions. I want to assure all of you who have successfully completed the program that we will continue to stand by your side, supporting your efforts.”

This was followed by a content-rich masterclass on “Storytelling” by Ms. Magda Peistikou, Editor-in-Chief of Food Service magazine, which highlighted the power of storytelling as a tool for strategic communication.

The keynote speaker of the day was Mr. Alexandros Kouris, Founder and Owner of NISSOS Beer and member of the General Assembly of New Agriculture New Generation. Through a captivating talk, he explained how failure can prove valuable in entrepreneurship and in generating new ideas and innovative practices.

A short greeting was also delivered by Ms. Salome Papaspyrou Rao, Assistant Professor, Department of Nutritional Sciences, representing Rutgers University, which contributes as a technical and strategic advisor, bringing expertise from its corresponding program in New Jersey, running for nearly three decades.

During the event, a dedicated platform was also presented, developed to network all graduates of the Agrifood Leadership program. The goal is for all alumni to be able to collaborate, initiate projects, and participate in future actions.

In the closing segment of the event, Dr. Dimitris Voloudakis, General Programs Director of New Agriculture New Generation and Program Implementation Lead, spoke about the strategic development of the program and its future goals.

The final part of the event included the certificate award ceremony in a celebratory atmosphere. The participants themselves had the opportunity to speak and share — in the most experiential way — their journey in the program, promising that they will meet again!

Sponsors of the educational sessions is COMPO EXPERT Hellas, Association of Imathia’s Agricultural Cooperatives, Chios Mastiha Growers Association, Ioannina Agricultural Poultry Cooperative PINDOS, Lidl Hellas and Balantinos Dairy. With the support of the Agricultural Dairy Cooperative of Kalavryta.
Program Sponsor: NBIS
Consulting Partner: Ohana Public Affairs

In total, the program included 7 three-day educational visits to leading companies in Greece’s agrifood sector, 1 educational visit to Brussels, and over 90 hours of intensive, specially designed training sessions.

The application period for the 2025–2026 cycle of the program is expected to open soon.

“Seeds of Change” εκδήλωση στη Νέα Υόρκη για τη Νέα Γεωργία Νέα Γενιά

Αντιπροσωπεία από τον οργανισμό Νέα Γεωργία Νέα Γενιά είχε την τιμή να παραβρεθεί στην Νέα Υόρκη, κατόπιν προσκλήσεως του Γενικού Προξένου της Ελλάδας, προκειμένου να παρουσιάσει το έργο που έχει υλοποιήσει ως τώρα σε εκπροσώπους της ελληνικής ομογένειας.

Πιο αναλυτικά, η εκδήλωση με τίτλο «Seeds of Change» πραγματοποιήθηκε στις 29/05/2024 στην προξενική κατοικία, παρουσία του Γενικού Πρόξενου κ. Κωνσταντίνου Κωνσταντίνου. Παρευρέθηκαν επίσης εκπρόσωποι του Ιδρύματος Σταύρος Νιάρχος (ΙΣΝ), το οποίο αποτελεί τον ιδρυτικό δωρητή του οργανισμού Νέα Γεωργία Νέα Γενιά, του Πολιτειακού Πανεπιστήμιου Rutgers που κατέχει τον ρόλο του στρατηγικού συμβούλου για τον οργανισμό, εκπρόσωποι από το CITI Foundation, καθώς και επιχειρηματίες και πολλά άλλα ενεργά και διακεκριμένα μέλη της ελληνικής διασποράς στην Νέα Υόρκη.

Τον οργανισμό Νέα Γεωργία Νέα Γενιά  εκπροσώπησαν η κα. Έφη Λαζαρίδου, Chief Executive Officer & Εκτελεστικό μέλος Γ.Σ. και ο κος. Ηλίας Γεωργαντάς, Financial Director & Εκτελεστικό μέλος Γ.Σ..

Κατά τη διάρκεια της εκδήλωσης, προβλήθηκε ενημερωτικό οπτικοακουστικό υλικό και η κα. Λαζαρίδου παρουσίασε το σημαντικό αποτύπωμα του οργανισμού στον αγροδιατροφικό κλάδο της χώρας, όπως έχει αυτό καταγραφεί και αξιολογηθεί από ανεξάρτητους οργανισμούς.

Στην συνέχεια, έγινε αναφορά για τους στόχους και τα επόμενα βήματα του οργανισμού και δόθηκε ιδιαίτερη έμφαση σε τέσσερις σημαντικές δράσεις  που αναμένεται να υλοποιηθούν το προσεχές διάστημα: α) του νέου κύκλου της «Βασιλοτροφίας», ενός προγράμματος ανάπτυξης βασιλισσών μέλισσας ελληνικών ειδών, που βοηθούν στην δημιουργία μεγάλων και υγειών μελισσοσμηνών, β) το πρόγραμμα  «Ακαδημία Ελαιοκομίας» που θα παρέχει κατάρτιση στους ελαιοκόμους προκειμένου να βελτιστοποιήσουν τις παραγωγικές πρακτικές τους, γ) το πρόγραμμα  κατάρτισης και συμβουλευτικής «Μαστιχόδεντρα: Διασφαλίζοντας το μέλλον ενός εθνικού προϊόντος – Δίκτυο Μεταφοράς Τεχνογνωσίας και Καινοτομίας στη Χίο» και δ) του νέου  κύκλου του επιτυχημένου επιχειρηματικού επιταχυντή «ΑγροΑνέλιξη».

Στο πλαίσιο της παρουσίασης, εκ μέρους του πανεπιστημίου Rutgers, η κα. Lia Papathomas, Director of Operations Rutgers, New Agriculture New Generation Program, μετέφερε το μήνυμα του κ. Robert M. Goodman, Executive Dean Emeritus, University Distinguished Professor – Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources ο οποίος επιβεβαίωσε την αγαστή συνεργασία μεταξύ του πανεπιστημίου και του οργανισμού Νέα Γεωργία Νέα Γενιά.

Με το κλείσιμο της παρουσίασης, προσφέρθηκαν στους συμμετέχοντες εδέσματα και προϊόντα που έχουν παραχθεί από ωφελούμενους του οργανισμού, τα οποία κέρδισαν τις εντυπώσεις για την ποιότητα τους και τις καλαίσθητες, υψηλών προδιαγραφών συσκευασίες.

Στο πλαίσιο της εκδήλωσης ο γενικός Πρόξενος κος. Κωνσταντίνος Κωνσταντίνου δήλωσε: «είχαμε την ευκαιρία σήμερα να παρουσιάσουμε εδώ στο γενικό προξενείο της Ελλάδας στη Νέα Υόρκη, μια σπουδαία μη κυβερνητική οργάνωση, την Νέα Γεωργία Νέα Γενιά, η οποία καταβάλει μια πολύ αξιέπαινη προσπάθεια στην Ελλάδα, βοηθώντας χιλιάδες νέους όσον αφορά την επιχειρηματικότητα της υπαίθρου και του αγροτικού τομέα».

Η κα. Έφη Λαζαρίδου μεταξύ άλλων δήλωσε: «… σήμερα είμαστε εδώ να γιορτάσουμε το έργο μας τα τελευταία, σχεδόν έξι χρόνια στην Ελλάδα, με περισσότερους από 30.000 ωφελούμενους και ένα συνολικό αποτύπωμα στην ελληνική οικονομία ύψους 35,7 εκατομμύρια ευρώ. Θέλουμε λοιπόν να γιορτάσουμε αυτές τις εξελίξεις με την ελληνοαμερικανική κοινότητα της Νέας Υόρκης και να χτίσουμε γέφυρες προς όφελος της ελληνικής αγροδιατροφής…».

Η κα. Ρούλα Συκλά, Senior Program Officer του Ιδρύματος Σταύρος Νιάρχος (ΙΣΝ), ανέφερε με αφορμή την εκδήλωση: «Αισθανόμαστε υπερήφανοι που υποστηρίξαμε αυτήν την προσπάθεια από το ξεκίνημά της -από την περίοδο που φυτεύτηκε ο σπόρος πριν από πολλά χρόνια- παρακολουθώντας την ιδέα να εξελίσσεται προοδευτικά σε πράξη, και συγκεκριμένα σε αυτό που έχει φτάσει να αποτελεί σήμερα: ένα πλήρως, ανεπτυγμένο ολοκληρωμένο πρόγραμμα. Είναι μεγάλη η χαρά μας που αρχίζουμε να βλέπουμε πραγματικό οικονομικό και, ίσως ακόμη σημαντικότερα, κοινωνικό αντίκτυπο. Με τη βοήθεια της διατλαντικής ανταλλαγής γνώσης, η πρωτοβουλία έχει πυροδοτήσει τη δημιουργική ενέργεια των νέων επιχειρηματιών, συμβάλλοντας παράλληλα στην αναχαίτιση του κύματος εκροής νέων ανθρώπων και θέσεων εργασίας από τις αγροτικές περιοχές και στη βελτίωση της αντίληψης σχετικά με τη γεωργία και ποιους πραγματικά αφορά».

Η εκδήλωση προβλήθηκε στα ομογενειακά μέσα καθώς αναδείχθηκαν μέσω του έργου του οργανισμού Νέα Γεωργία Νέα Γενιά, οι προοπτικές που υπάρχουν για την ελληνική αγροδιατροφή προκειμένου αυτή να αποτελέσει σημαντικό πυλώνα ανάπτυξης για την οικονομία της χώρας. Ταυτόχρονα, αποτελεί και ένα επιτυχημένο παράδειγμα επιτυχημένης διμερούς διακρατικής συνεργασίας με την μεταφορά τεχνογνωσίας από το Rutgers University.

Αναμφίβολα, η επιτυχία της εκδήλωσης αποτελεί ένα σημαντικό ορόσημο για την Νέα Γεωργία Νέα Γενιά καθώς μετά από 6 χρόνια σχεδόν σταθερής στήριξης τους αγροδιατροφικού κλάδου της χώρας, είναι φανερό ότι μπορεί να προχωρήσει σε βήματα μεγαλύτερης εξωστρέφειας και σύνδεσης της ελληνικής περιφέρειας με τον απόδημο ελληνισμό.

Δείτε ΕΔΩ το video κάλυψης της εκδήλωσης από το New Greek TV.