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Category: Υλοποιούνται τώρα

Open Olive Oil Academy

Posted on by panagiotis

Open Olive Academy – Messinia

Upskilling of Olive Growers

Summary

The “Open Olive Academy – Messinia” program aims to transfer knowledge and expertise to olive growers in the Regional Unit of Messinia. It is based on the creation of a comprehensive, coherent, and at the same time intensive training seminar cycle focused on the olive and olive oil sector, which also includes experiential training.

The program is co-funded by the organization “New Agriculture New Generation,” through the founding donation of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), by the Captain Vassilis and Carmen Constantakopoulos Foundation, is supported by Bayer, BASF, and PJ Condelis SA, and is implemented in collaboration with the Union of Messinia.

The seminars cover the entire chain of olive cultivation production.

Program Objective

The adoption of modern olive cultivation practices by the olive growers of Messinia in order to improve their production processes and strengthen their competitiveness and outward orientation.

Target Audience:

The program is addressed to olive growers, either full-time or part-time, who are active in the Regional Unit of Messinia. In addition, professionals from the entire olive and olive oil value chain—such as olive mill owners, processors, and traders—may also participate in the seminars.

Trainers:

The seminars will be delivered by specialized staff and scientific experts from the “New Agriculture New Generation” organization, as well as external partners, such as market professionals and consultants with recognized expertise in production, standardization, packaging, and marketing, along with academics and university professors.

Program Duration:

The program consists of 54 training hours and includes six (6) two-day sessions, delivered in person in Kalamata.

Training Program

The seminars are divided into two thematic modules, covering the following topics:

Training Cycle I, Duration: June 20 – July 5, 2025

· Preparation & establishment of olive grove
· Olive tree physiology
· Cultivation practices
· Plant protection & Climate Change

Training Cycle II, Duration: September 5 – October 11, 2025

· Economic Concepts
· Soil management – New trends and certification systems
· Olive oil quality and processing
· Olive oil tasting
· Visit-friendly olive groves & Olive tourism
· Informative Event

Training Venue:

Facilities of the Agricultural Cooperative “Union of Messinia” (map with location)

Training Certificate

A Certificate of Attendance will be provided.

Participation Cost

There is no participation fee for the program.

More Information

Domna Zoureilidou, Capacity Building Manager, New Agriculture New Generation
Phone: +30 2310 471 292
Email: [email protected]

Olive Cultivation and Olive Oil Production Seminar

Posted on by panagiotis

The aim of this specific open and modern seminar is to provide participants – in a short period of time – with introductory knowledge and important basic information on olive tree care.

The topics covered include olive tree pruning, plant physiology, appropriate cultivation techniques, plant protection methods, and the use of irrigation systems.

Simple, fast, on your own time

This webinar is asynchronous and can be followed at your own pace, allowing you to grow your knowledge whenever and however you want.

This course is addressed to:

• Olive growers, whether professionally or supplementarily involved.

• Professionals from the entire value chain of olives and olive oil, such as olive mill owners, processors, and traders.

• Students and young professionals: Individuals who wish to gain knowledge about olives.

Meet the Instructor, Dimitrios Psathas:

Dimitrios Psathas is a lecturer at Perrotis College of the American Farm School in Thessaloniki, specializing in Olive Cultivation and Olive Oil Processing Systems. As the founder of Klea Premium Goods, he plays a leading role in ensuring the quality of the company’s products. With extensive experience as an Agronomist Consultant, he has made significant contributions to olive grove management and the production of high-quality extra virgin olive oil. He is a certified olive oil taster and has been recognized in various competitions and research programs.

AgroAnelixi 2025 – Farmers of the Future

Posted on by superadmin

The program is aimed at farmers, livestock breeders, beekeepers, cooperatives, producer groups, and small-scale food businesses seeking to improve existing or develop new, high-quality, competitive agrifood products.

The AgrοAnelixi – Farmers of the Future accelerator is implemented by the New Agriculture New Generation organization through a founding donation from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF). The program operates under the auspices of the Ministry of Rural Development and Food.

The acceleration program, which will last for six months, will select a total of 12 businesses from across Greece. Of these, four participants will come from Megalopolis and neighboring areas and will receive support from the PPC Group (Public Power Corporation of Greece) and three participants will recieve support from the Municipality of Agia.

Selected businesses will take part in specialized training workshops, where they will gain practical business knowledge and guidance for developing new, differentiated, and competitive products. They will also receive personalized advisory support from experienced market professionals to address their specific needs, all at no financial cost.

So far, the AgrοAnelixi – Farmers of the Future program has supported 85 agrifood businesses across Greece and contributed to the development and launch of 70 new products in both domestic and international markets. Businesses that have benefited from the program become more sustainable and competitive, strengthening local economies and value chains and contributing to the regional development of the country.

The American Farm School and Perrotis College will provide chemical analyses of soil and food. Additionally, Specialist Awards will offer free participation in taste awards for program beneficiaries.

Social Farming 360: Empowering Communities through Sustainable Agriculture and Social Reintegration

Posted on by superadmin

The organization New Agriculture New Generation is implemented the “Social Farming 360” program, with full support and funding from the Citi Foundation. In close collaboration with the General Secretariat for Anti-Crime Policy of the Ministry of Citizen Protection, and in partnership with ActionAid and Freedom Gate, the program focuses on enhancing food security, developing skills for vulnerable social groups, and promoting the production of social farming products.

Addressing Food Security and Sustainable Farming

Food security is a global challenge, with more than 770 million people suffering from some form of undernourishment. In Greece, the need for sustainable food production is becoming increasingly urgent, especially as agricultural productivity faces significant challenges due to the climate crisis. Social Farming 360 addresses these challenges by supporting sustainable food production in correctional facilities across the country. The program not only promotes sustainability but also offers inmates opportunities for training and employment in agriculture, focusing on olive cultivation, medicinal, and aromatic plants. The project further enhances the expertise of the agronomists working in these facilities.

A Multidimensional, Two-Year Program

With the Citi Foundation’s financial backing and in cooperation with the General Secretariat for Anti-Crime Policy, Social Farming 360 is a two-year program that spans multiple layers of intervention. It supports sustainable food production and distribution in four agricultural correctional facilities (Agia Chania, Tiryntha Argolida, Kassavetia Volos, and Kassandra Halkidiki) and two special detention centers (Women’s Detention Facility and Eleonas Thiva Drug Rehabilitation Center). In addition to agricultural training, the program includes the development of soft skills, professional integration, and reintegration through psycho-social education, in collaboration with ActionAid and Freedom Gate.

Transforming Agriculture and Empowering Social Reintegration

Social Farming 360 plays a crucial role in transforming agricultural practices within correctional institutions, providing practical skills to inmates, and actively supporting their reintegration into society. At the same time, it ensures food security within the detention centers and the local communities surrounding them.

Global Support for Local Impact

New Agriculture New Generation is one of 50 organizations worldwide to receive $500,000 donations from the Citi Foundation as part of its first Global Innovation Challenge. This initiative focuses on four critical areas: access to food, food availability, affordability, and community resilience. The Global Innovation Challenge represents a $25 million philanthropic effort to identify and support innovative solutions to social and economic challenges faced by low-income communities worldwide.

They said about the program

  • Aimilios Kyriakou, CEO of Citi Greece, Cyprus, Malta:
    “Safe, healthy, and nutritious food in sufficient quantities is fundamental for everyone’s well-being. It requires constant effort and cooperation at all levels to achieve this goal. The new Citi Foundation initiative, ‘Global Innovation Challenge – Food Security,’ aims to contribute to solving this global issue. We wish great success to the Social Farming 360 program and our volunteers who are eager to support.”
  • Effie Lazaridou, CEO New Agriculture New Generation:
    “We are proud to contribute to the transformation of agricultural activities in correctional facilities and actively support the reintegration of inmates and food security in detention centers and their surrounding communities. The trust of Citi Foundation honors us and motivates us to work even harder in collaboration with the General Secretariat for Anti-Crime Policy towards sustainable food production, especially as the climate crisis significantly affects agricultural productivity.”
  • Dimitra Lygoura, General Secretary for Anti-Crime Policy:
    “The Social Farming 360 program is a valuable opportunity for the reintegration of vulnerable groups into society and for creating a more sustainable and inclusive environment. I congratulate the New Agriculture New Generation organization and Citi Foundation for this initiative, and I am confident that this collaboration will yield positive results on multiple levels.”
  • Makis Drakopoulos, Director of Programs and Institutional Funding at ActionAid:
    “Through this program, based on ActionAid’s expertise in the labor integration of people at risk of social exclusion, we aim to help inmates develop their skills and gain the confidence needed for successful professional reintegration.”
  • Tina Annett Torronen, President of Freedom Gate:
    “With years of experience in implementing psycho-social support programs in correctional facilities, Freedom Gate is proud to contribute to the success of the program by enhancing inmates’ psycho-social framework and reintegration prospects.”

LEARN MORE

You can view the program’s fact sheet [here].

You can read the Press Release from the Ministry of Citizen Protection [here].

Voices from the field, a feature by Citi Foundation on the program.

Queen Rearing in Central Greece: Utilization, Conservation, and Improvement of Bee Genetic Material | Phase A: Queen Breeders’ Training

Posted on by george

Summary

The organization New Agriculture New Generation announces the training and advisory program “Queen Rearing in Central Greece – Utilization, Conservation, and Improvement of Bee Genetic Material | Phase A: Queen Breeders’ Training,” which will be implemented in the Regional Units of Boeotia, Evrytania, Phthiotis, and Phocis.

The program is co-financed by New Agriculture New Generation through the founding donation of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation, and APIVITA and is carried out under the auspices of the Region of Central Greece.

Queen rearing refers to the process of producing queen bees. Through large-scale queen rearing with genetic selection criteria, which will take place in Phase B of the program by queen breeders trained during Phase A, the program contributes to addressing the decline in bee populations and improving the genetic traits of bee colonies.

The program is implemented in collaboration with the Agricultural University of Athens and is being carried out for the third consecutive year, having started in Thessaly in 2022 and expanding to Euboea the following year. Within this framework, it has already received significant distinctions in Greece, such as the Bravo Sustainability Award 2022 in the “Ecosystem and Biodiversity Protection” category and the GOLD Environmental Award in the “Sustainable Agriculture” category. Additionally, queen breeders trained in the program played a crucial role in the initiative “Restarting Beekeeping in Thessaly: Queen Rearing – Restoration and Conservation of Indigenous Genetic Material,” which supported beekeepers affected by Storm Daniel by providing 27,000 royal cells from selected genetic material.

Program Structure

The program “Queen Rearing in Central Greece: Utilization, Conservation, and Improvement of Bee Genetic Material” consists of two phases:

  1. Selection and specialized training of up to 20 young individuals with knowledge and experience in beekeeping practices. They will receive training in queen rearing, royal jelly production, and advanced beekeeping techniques. After completing the required training, 8 of the most capable trainees with the willingness and ability to support the next stage of the program will be selected.

  2. Deployment of the 8 trained specialists across the Region of Central Greece (approximately 2 per Regional Unit – Boeotia, Evrytania, Phthiotis, and Phocis). Their role will involve coordinating beekeepers in the area who wish to participate in the program and organizing demonstrations and the practical implementation of queen cell grafting for the production of high-quality queens from selected genetic material.

Program Goals

Phase A

The primary goal is to train a group of young beekeepers in queen rearing, equipping them with the skills to perform and demonstrate queen cell grafting to any beekeeper in the region who wishes to benefit. This initiative creates new income opportunities for young beekeepers and enhances their professional sustainability in the sector.

Phase B

The second phase involves a significant number of queen cell grafting procedures carried out by a team of specialized beekeepers who will demonstrate the process, explain it in detail, and address any questions from participating beekeepers. The objective is to familiarize a large number of beekeepers with high-quality queen production techniques.

The long-term goal of the program is the large-scale production of selected genetic material across the Regional Units of Boeotia, Evrytania, Phthiotis, and Phocis, ultimately aiming to increase honey production and develop more resilient bee colonies by optimizing the indigenous genetic material. Strengthening beekeeping in Central Greece will enhance the region’s biodiversity and boost local agricultural production, given that bees are among the most crucial pollinators in the ecosystem.

Educational Objectives

  • Understanding the role of queen rearing in theory and practice
  • Importance of selection and genetic improvement
  • Bee disease management
  • Royal jelly production and other bee products
  • Understanding relevant legislation
  • Development of communication skills

Target Audience

Phase A of the program is aimed at young beekeepers (excluding those in Euboea) with experience in beekeeping practices who are interested in specializing in queen rearing.

It is also crucial that participating beekeepers have the ability and commitment to pass on their knowledge during Phase B of the program, inspiring others about the benefits of bee selection and genetic improvement.

Number of Beneficiaries

Phase A: 20 beekeepers

Training Structure

  • Theoretical training: 75 hours in total
  • Practical training: 25 hours in total
  • Total training duration: 100 hours

Training Location (2025 Cycle)

Region of Central Greece (excluding Euboea) – Training sessions will be held near Lamia.

Timeline

  • Phase A Training: January – February 2025 (100 hours of training)
  • Classes will take place in the morning hours
  • Attendance is mandatory
  • Phase B (grafting process): Approx. March – September 2025

Curriculum (Indicative Topics)

  • Fundamentals of queen rearing
  • Traditional queen rearing method
  • Variations of the traditional method
  • Mating nucs
  • Shipping and introduction of queens
  • Selection and genetic improvement
  • Royal jelly production methods
  • Professional royal jelly production
  • Reproductive behavior and mating
  • Bee diseases and pests
  • Bee products
  • Beekeeping legislation
  • First aid
  • Communication skills development

Certification

A Certificate of Attendance will be provided.

Participation Fee

The program is free of charge.

Instructors

The program is implemented in collaboration with the Agricultural University of Athens, which designed the educational component under the scientific guidance of the Sericulture and Apiculture Laboratory, led by Assistant Professor Georgios Gkoras. Watch an informational video from a previous training cycle.

Application Process

Active beekeepers from the Regional Units of Boeotia, Evrytania, Phthiotis, and Phocis can apply. Priority will be given to applicants under 45 years old.

Selection will be conducted through personal interviews.

More Information

Kalliopi Karaboiki, Capacity Building Manager
New Agriculture New Generation
Tel: +30 210 6917986, +30 6972096122
Email: [email protected]

Enhancing the Position of High Nutritional Value Products

Posted on by superadmin

Enhancing the Position of High Nutritional Value Products

The action “Enhancing the Position of High Nutritional Value Products” aims to highlight the value of Greek agricultural products by identifying and adding health claims, thereby promoting their exports. It represents a structured approach to documenting health claims for products and supporting local production to further enhance competitiveness.

Increasing the competitiveness of high nutritional value products creates excellent prospects for the overall development of rural areas, ensuring added value for the products themselves. Additionally, through this action, it is possible to support other sectors that will benefit from increased economic activity, such as logistics and tourism.

The action is designed and implemented by the organization New Agriculture New Generation and the University of Thessaly (UTH), with the support of the National Union of Agricultural Cooperatives (ETHAE). The project leader is Dr. Dimitrios Kouretas, Professor at UTH, Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology.

Action Objective

Highlighting health claims in local Greek products will increase their added value. However, in most cases, these properties have not been investigated. This specific action constitutes a structured approach to documenting health claims and supporting local production to enhance competitiveness.

The research action is addressed to:

  • Municipalities
  • Regions
  • Cooperatives & other collaborative schemes
  • Companies and producers

Action Structure

The project is executed in two distinct phases.

The first phase involves field research, laboratory analysis procedures, communication with the local agri-food system, and informing the interested public. The project will focus on 8 local products of high nutritional value:

  • Pieria Kiwis (PGI)
  • Naoussa Peaches (PDO)
  • Zagora Pelion Apples (PDO)
  • Maleme Chania Crete Oranges (PDO)
  • Prespes Florina Beans (giant elephants) (PGI)
  • Cretan Stamnagathi
  • Sykouri Almonds from the Ossa area
  • Edessa Cherries

In the second phase, the project focuses on business support and developing a comprehensive strategy for the commercial promotion of the health claims that will add value to the produced products.

It is clear that identifying and adding health claims to Greek products will give them significant added value, especially for exports.

Duration of Action

The duration of the research program is 12 months.

More Information

Dr. Dimitrios Kouretas, Professor, University of Thessaly

Tel: 2410565277, 6947892709

Email: [email protected]

Kalliopi Karaboiki, Capacity Building Associate, New Agriculture New Generation

Tel: 2106917986, 6972096122

Email: [email protected]

Mastic trees: Ensuring the future of a national product – Knowledge transfer and innovation network in Chios

Posted on by superadmin

The program follows the successful action “Mastic Trees: Modern Techniques of Propagation and Cultivation”, implemented from October 2021 to May 2023 in Chios. This program aims to create the first organized network for knowledge and innovation transfer for mastic cultivation on the island of Chios, from producer to producer (peer to peer).

The program is divided into two implementation phases:

  1. The first phase involves selecting 20 mastic producers from the 24 Mastic Villages of Chios who already have relevant experience in cultivation. These selected producers will be trained to educate other producers in their area through seminars and workshops. The selected producers will serve as reference points in their region.
  2. In the second phase, all interested mastic producers in Chios can participate in receiving knowledge about mastic cultivation from the trained producers of the first phase. This phase involves knowledge exchange and problem-solving facilitated by the New Agriculture New Generation, the Chios Mastic Growers Association and the Laboratory of Floriculture of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

The program aims to enhance mastic cultivation techniques and create a sustainable network of knowledge transfer among mastic producers in Chios. It is co-funded by the New Agriculture New Generation and the Chios Mastic Growers Association and supported by The Hellenic Initiative. Founding Donor of New Agriculture New Generation is the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF).

Target Audience

  • Participants in the first phase: Mastic producers aged 18-45 (or 46-55 if necessary), members of the primary cooperatives of the Chios Mastic Growers Association, willing to participate in the training program and transfer their knowledge to other producers in their region.
  • Participants in the second phase: All interested mastic producers in Chios.

Program of Studies

The program includes topics such as propagation of mastic trees, fertilization, biodiversity, pest control, harvesting techniques, and integrated mastic cultivation practices.

Agrifood Leadership

Posted on by superadmin

Developing Tomorrow’s AgriFood Leaders in Greece

The first specialized Leadership program in Greece for the AgriFood sector! Agrifood Leadership is a high-quality educational content program aimed at entrepreneurs, professionals, and emerging leaders in the agri-food sector.

The main objective of the program is to provide substantial and practical knowledge related to the development of leadership capabilities, communication skills, and insights into selected and critical topics in the sector (agronomic and environmental).

SEE MORE!

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