Category: Strategic Initiatives

Summary

New Agriculture New Generation announces the implementation of the program “Leveraging the Advantage: Strategies for Local Products and PDO–PGI with Health Claims”. Its aim is to enhance the competitiveness of Greek products with high nutritional value by utilizing Health Claims as a tool for differentiation, extroversion and sustainable development.

The program is addressed to agrifood businesses, cooperatives and producer groups seeking to strengthen their market position by combining expertise in regulatory frameworks with targeted strategies in marketing, sales, and exports. It follows on from the very successful program entitled “Enhancing the Position of High Nutritional Value Products“.

It is implemented by New Agriculture New Generation, through the founding donation of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) and with the support of CrediaBank.

Program Objective

The main goal is to train and support agrifood businesses so they can understand the regulatory framework and certification procedures, effectively integrate Health Claims into their strategies and enhance their competitiveness in both the domestic and international markets. At the same time, the program promotes the adoption of best practices in natural resource management, contributing to sustainable development.

Learning Objectives

The educational objectives include an in-depth understanding of the regulatory framework governing Health Claims, certification and documentation procedures and their connection to marketing, commercial strategy and exports. Participants will also acquire knowledge on the proper use and management of water resources, strengthening the sustainability of their production.

Target Audience

The program is addressed to businesses operating in the agrifood sector that produce PDO–PGI products or intend to utilize Health Claims. It also targets cooperatives, producer groups and business executives involved in strategy, marketing, sales and exports. Priority will be given to businesses located in remote areas.

Number of Beneficiaries

A total of 15 businesses, cooperatives, or producer groups will benefit from the program. Up to three executives from each business may participate, with the total number of participants reaching 45 individuals.

Program Structure

The total duration of the program is 4 months.

The program includes:

• Educational Workshops (15 hours of asynchronous training via the Cultivate platform), covering topics such as the regulatory framework and certification procedures, optimal water resource management, marketing and branding, sales strategy and the export of products with Health Claims.

• Individualized Consulting: Throughout the program, the 15 participating businesses and their executives (up to 3 per business) will receive customized consulting support based on their specific needs and goals, delivered by distinguished market professionals (4 hours per business). Additionally, each business will receive 1 hour of individualized consulting on best practices for water resource management, based on their needs.

• Networking Events (one opening and one closing event), enabling knowledge exchange and collaboration.

• Collective Publication (White Paper) summarizing the program’s results and best practices.

Certificate of Completion

All participants will receive a Certificate of Attendance.

Participation Cost

Participation in the program is FREE OF CHARGE.

Instructors

The educational workshops will be conducted in collaboration with university institutions, specialized market professionals, and established consultants in marketing, sales, and exports.

Application Process

Applications will remain open from November 19 to December 7, 2025.

Practical Olive Growing Guide

Everything you need to know about modern olive cultivation – in one guide!

The Practical Olive Growing Guide was created as part of the Open Olive Oil Academy, implemented in 2024 by New Agriculture New Generation, through the founding donation of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), and in collaboration with the Municipality of North Kynouria and the Chamber of Arcadia.

What will you find in the Guide?

· Practical advice on olive cultivation
· Essential knowledge about the tree, soil, diseases, irrigation, and olive oil production
· A valuable reference tool for every modern olive grower
· Recommendations based on scientific evidence and hands-on experience

The Guide is the result of the work of an interdisciplinary team of experts and can stand alone—whether you’re a beginner or an experienced olive grower.

Download the Guide (in Greek) for free and improve your cultivation practices!

The “Promoting Small-Scale Aquaculture Sustainability in Southeast Mediterranean” program was successfully completed with the goal of enhancing sustainability and business development for small-scale aquaculture in the wider Southeast Mediterranean region. Through a comprehensive educational framework, the program aimed to support and empower producers from five countries: Egypt, Algeria, Lebanon, Morocco, and Tunisia. The participants were selected through an international competition and had the opportunity to engage in a series of educational activities combining theory with practical application.

The training program included an intensive ten-day workshop held in Greece, where participants were trained on key topics such as innovation, business development, technological trends, and sustainability. By attending educational seminars and visiting model aquaculture units, participants gained new knowledge and skills to improve their businesses. The program also provided 100 hours of personalized consulting from industry experts to ensure the practical implementation of these skills and foster the sustainable development of their enterprises.

The inaugural event for the program was held at the Museum of Cycladic Art in Athens, attracting international attention from the aquaculture sector. The event was opened by prominent figures, including Maria Damanaki, former European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Houssam Hamza from the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM), and Effie Lazaridou, CEO, NANG.

The speakers emphasized the vital role of small-scale aquaculture in the Mediterranean diet, food security, and environmental footprint reduction. They also highlighted the need for support and modernization in the sector through new technologies and sustainability practices, enabling small businesses to remain competitive in an evolving market.

The program not only contributed to skills development but also strengthened collaborations between research institutions, professionals, and international organizations. Greece’s selection as the central hub for implementing this important initiative underscores the country’s leading role in aquaculture and the promotion of sustainable food production from aquatic ecosystems.

Detailed Benefits

Its goal was to strengthen the sustainable development of small-scale aquaculture producers in the southeastern Mediterranean — namely in Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco and Tunisia.

More specifically:

• The participants were selected through an open call based on sustainability criteria.

• They received training in entrepreneurship, marketing and management.

• They attended intensive workshops and seminars in Greece on:

  • strategy, innovation and sustainability,

  • technological trends, marketing and sales.

• They participated in field visits to Greek aquaculture farms, hydroponic units and research laboratories, in order to become familiar with Greek expertise in the sector.

• They will also receive tailor-made coaching in their home countries to apply what they have learned.

Programme Benefits

For the participants

• Development of skills in entrepreneurship, management and marketing.

• Exchange of experiences and best practices with other Mediterranean producers.

• Exposure to Greek know-how in innovative and sustainable aquaculture.

• Incentives for new investments, such as:

  • creation of recirculating aquaculture systems,

  • cultivation of new species (e.g. red seabream),

  • development of products such as spirulina and algae,

  • expansion into international markets.

• Strengthening of collaborations and creation of a regional professional network.

For the sector and the region

• Reinforcement of sustainable small-scale aquaculture as part of Mediterranean heritage.

• Contribution to the GFCM 2030 Strategy and the FAO Blue Transformation vision.

• Support for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in relation to:

  • food security and the production of high-protein foods,

  • job creation,

  • income diversification and the empowerment of women.

Watch the programme’s summary video.

Article from FAO

The Greek Agri-Food Supply Chain

Increased competition, the need to differentiate Greek agricultural products, and the obligations to comply with hygiene standards and certifications require the immediate reorganization of the agricultural supply chain in our country. This reorganization can serve as a lever for the development of the primary sector.

Additionally, due to the added challenges globally posed by the pandemic, it is imperative to study and reshape the Agrologistics sector to make the supply chain sustainable, enhance farmers’ income, ensure food security, and reduce the environmental footprint.

Research on Agrologistics in Greece

The organization “New Agriculture New Generation” has undertaken the initiative to conduct a study on the agri-food supply chain (agrologistics) in collaboration with the National Center for Research and Technological Development (EKETA), the University of Piraeus Research Center (KEPP), the Institute of Port Training “Exantas,” and the Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Technology (CAIT) at Rutgers University, USA.

The recent study analyzes the current state of the agri-food supply chain in our country and highlights the needs and prospects of the sector.

You can read the related study here.

Agrologistics Conference

The organization “New Agriculture New Generation” is organizing an online conference titled: “Agrologistics: Challenges & Prospects in Greece” in collaboration with the National Center for Research and Technological Development (EKETA), the University of Piraeus Research Center (KEPP), the Institute of Port Training “Exantas,” and the Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT) at Rutgers University, USA.

This online conference will take place on June 7, 2021 (16:30 – 18:30) on the occasion of presenting the conclusions of a relevant study on the Greek agri-food supply chain conducted by the aforementioned bodies.

The conference will present the conclusions of the study and highlight new developments, best practices, and challenges in the sector, both in Greece and abroad. It will also serve as a platform to discuss the prospects of reorganization and development of the agri-food supply chain as well as the existing needs for training and education in the field.

The conference will feature the study contributors as well as high-ranking officials and experts from leading institutions and organizations in Greece and abroad, such as the Foreign Agricultural Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (FAS/USDA), the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, Rutgers University, the U.S. Embassy in Greece, and others.

The dramatic impacts of storm “Daniel” in Thessaly, the heart of rural Greece, was an event that truly shocked our country. “Daniel” caused unprecedented destruction to infrastructure, crops, and the properties of the area’s residents, who are essentially called upon to rebuild their lives from scratch.

New Agriculture New Generation, having strong ties with the people of the agrifood sector, as part of a series of initiatives to support those affected, issued an invitation to its network of partners to participate in the collective publication titled: After the Storm: Steps for Reconstructing the Agri-Food Sector of Thessaly in the Wake of “Daniel”.

Our goal is for this publication to serve as a platform for leaders, experts, and professionals in the sector to share their proposals regarding the necessary actions that need to be taken to rebuild the productive fabric of the Thessalian plain and set it on a path to recovery.

This document does not replace the studies and research that need to be conducted. However, it provides directions and significant ideas that can be utilized.

After the Storm: Steps for Reconstructing the Agri-Food Sector of Thessaly in the Wake of “Daniel” (pdf in Greek)