In a packed hall, where a rich and meaningful dialogue took place about the future of mastiha, the event titled “Cultivating the Future of Mastiha: Education, Research and Innovation” was successfully held on Friday, November 7, 2025, at the Homerion Cultural Center of the Municipality of Chios.
The event was part of the program “Mastic Trees: Ensuring the Future of a National Product – Knowledge and Innovation Transfer Network in Chios”, designed and implemented by New Agriculture New Generation, in collaboration with the Laboratory of Floriculture of the School of Agriculture of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and the Chios Gum Mastic Growers Association. The program is co-funded by New Agriculture New Generation through the founding donation of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), The Hellenic Initiative, and the Chios Gum Mastic Growers Association.
The event began with opening remarks by:
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Mr. Georgios Toumbos, President of the Board of Directors of the Chios Gum Mastic Growers Association,
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Mr. Ilias Smyrnioudis, General Director of the Chios Gum Mastic Growers Association,
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Ms. Elina Klaridopoulou, Senior Program Officer at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF),
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Mr. Michael Printzos, Head of The Hellenic Initiative Greece,
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and a recorded message from Mr. Michael Psaros, Vice Chairman of the Board of The Hellenic Initiative,
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followed by Ms. Effie Lazaridou, CEO of New Agriculture New Generation.
The discussion was moderated by Ms. Kalliopi Karampoiki, Project Manager of the program from New Agriculture New Generation.
Next, Associate Professor Stefanos Chatzilazarou from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki presented the progress and results of the program “Mastic Trees: Ensuring the Future of a National Product – Knowledge and Innovation Transfer Network in Chios”. In his presentation, he highlighted how the network effectively facilitated the exchange of knowledge, expertise and information between mastiha growers and between growers and the scientific community.
A discussion then followed, featuring two mastiha growers, Ms. Despina Kyli and Mr. Alexis Tsounakos, who acted as “training hubs” for their peers. They shared their experiences, emphasizing the importance of collaboration among growers in creating a resilient and sustainable production community. The discussion was moderated by Mr. Sotiris Katselos, Communications Director of New Agriculture New Generation.
The next presentation, titled “Digital Agriculture: Applications, Challenges and Prospects,” was delivered by Professor Spyros Fountas (Agricultural University of Athens) and Electrical Engineer Michalis Asimoglou, who discussed the contribution of technology and innovative tools to modern cultivation practices and how these could be applied to mastiha farming.
Then, Dr. Stefanos Kostas, Laboratory Teaching Staff member of the Floriculture Laboratory of AUTH, presented potential applications of digital agriculture specifically for mastiha trees.
The event concluded with an open discussion (Q&A Session), where participants — mostly mastiha growers — exchanged views and questions regarding the future of mastiha cultivation, the adoption of innovation and sustainable growth prospects for the sector.
The successful organization of the event confirmed the importance of collaboration among the scientific community, producers and institutional stakeholders, as well as everyone’s commitment to continuing efforts to strengthen mastiha cultivation through education and innovation.
During the event, the following statements were made:
On behalf of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), Ms. Elina Klaridopoulou stated:
“The SNF supports New Agriculture New Generation through a founding donation, empowering young people active in the agrifood sector. We are particularly pleased to see today’s collaboration, all sharing a common goal — the preservation and strengthening of mastiha cultivation. We already see the fruits of this collective effort and we warmly congratulate the mastiha growers of Chios and the Chios Gum Mastic Growers Association, who, with dedication and pride, keep alive and profitable a centuries-old tradition.”
In his message, Mr. Michael Psaros said:
“On behalf of The Hellenic Initiative — and as a proud Chiot and mastiha tree owner — I would like to express my heartfelt congratulations to New Agriculture New Generation and the local mastiha growers for this important effort to share the magic of our mastiha with the world. The Hellenic Initiative is honored to support this initiative and wishes you every success.”
Ms. Effie Lazaridou stated:
“The program’s success dispels myths such as ‘Greeks do not collaborate.’ Here, we see an effective system of cooperation among farmers, universities, cooperative enterprises, civil society and organizations. Farmer-to-farmer knowledge transfer is a valuable tool for disseminating knowledge and applying modern practices, helping to overcome the gap in education and training in the sector and create development prospects. I would like to thank, for their support and collaboration, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), the Aristotle University, the Chios Gum Mastic Growers Association, The Hellenic Initiative, and of course all the producers who participate consistently and willingly in this initiative.”
To date, the program has trained more than 240 mastiha growers, creating the first organized knowledge and innovation transfer network on the island. It is the largest network in the Aegean and the largest producer support network for PDO products in Greece. Step by step, it continues to strengthen knowledge, training and sustainable development of mastiha cultivation in Chios.
The program “Mastic Trees: Ensuring the Future of a National Product – Knowledge and Innovation Transfer Network in Chios” will continue in 2026.
Learn more about the program here.
