The cultivation of mastiha in southern Chios has endured for centuries — through wars, earthquakes, and wildfires. Today, however, it is challenged by modern pressures: the climate crisis, technological transition, the shortage of new farmers, and the need for sustainable practices.
At this crossroads, a pioneering program is “born” — not in conference halls, but in the mastiha groves, alongside the producers. The program “Mastiha Trees: Safeguarding the Future of a National Product” provides a substantive, practical, and human-centered response, transferring knowledge from farmer to farmer, establishing for the first time a network of cooperation and innovation, and empowering the very communities that keep mastiha alive.
This is highlighted in an interview with the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (AMNA) by Stefanos Chatzilazarou, Associate Professor at the Department of Agriculture of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh), and coordinator of the scientific team supporting the program.
Unprecedented Challenges of the 21st Century – What Is the Response?
The climate crisis, the demand for sustainable practices, technological change, economic uncertainty, the decline of the rural population, and the lack of succession in family farming threaten to break a centuries-old cycle of life, says Prof. Chatzilazarou. He adds that the pioneering program “Mastiha Trees: Safeguarding the Future of a National Product” offers a rare holistic response — not theoretical, but practical, rooted in the land, the people, and their real needs.
From Chios to All of Europe – A Model to Follow
The program, which has been extended until March 2026, is already considered a model of agricultural education and sustainable development. It has been recognized as a best practice by the Directorate-General for Agriculture of the European Commission (DG Agri) and was awarded at the Bravo Sustainability Awards, reflecting its impact.
The program is implemented by the New Agriculture New Generation Organization, in collaboration with the Laboratory of Floriculture of AUTh’s Department of Agriculture and the Chios Mastiha Growers Association (EMX). It is funded through the founding donation of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), The Hellenic Initiative, and the Chios Mastiha Growers Association (EMX).
Key contributors to the project, according to Prof. Chatzilazarou, include: Dr. Stefanos Kostas, Emeritus Professor Athanasios Oikonomou (AUTh), Efi Lazaridou, Dr. Dimitris Voloudakis, Kalliopi Karaboiki (New Agriculture New Generation), Dr. Ilias Smyrnioudis, and Despina Anagnostou (EMX).
Farmer-to-Farmer Training: Knowledge Rooted in People
The focus of the program is not simply informing farmers, but empowering them through knowledge. Specifically, 24 young producers, aged 18–45, receive specialized training on the entire spectrum of mastiha cultivation and then go on to train their fellow villagers.
“This creates a dynamic knowledge network that is constantly reinforced, interacting and evolving,” notes Prof. Chatzilazarou, adding that so far more than 250 growers have participated actively, while the 24 trained producers act as multipliers of knowledge in the 24 mastihohoria (mastiha-producing villages). Farmers also relay observations and questions, which return as research and improvements from AUTh.
As producer Despina Vataki characteristically says:
“The program gives me the opportunity to actively contribute to spreading knowledge. As a group, we exchange views, discuss, reflect. A fertile ‘give and take’ is created that drives us only forward.”
The Chios of 24 Mastiha Villages: Agriculture, Culture, Society
Today in southern Chios, where mastiha trees stand still in time and shed their precious tears for centuries, more than 1,150,000 mastiha trees are cultivated across 20,000+ stremmata of farmland. Registered growers in the cooperative exceed 4,000, and cultivation remains a family affair with strong participation of women.
“Mastiha is deeply tied to the identity and the local society of Chios. It is not merely an economic activity — it is tradition, relationship, cohesion. The program recognizes and harnesses this dynamic,” emphasizes Prof. Chatzilazarou.
Mastiha Facing the Climate Crisis
Highlighting that the climate crisis is not a threat of the future but a present reality, Prof. Chatzilazarou notes that the floods of 2024 damaged both the quantity and quality of production. Fortunately, the wildfires of 2025 did not affect the mastiha trees, though they impact the microclimate of the region.
Although the tree is resilient to diseases and requires no pesticides, the program recommends — according to Prof. Chatzilazarou — adjustments in the kentima (incision technique) depending on weather conditions, research into genotypes adapted to the new environment, and continuous farmer updates through a digital platform.
From the Past to the Future – Can Mastiha Endure?
“The answer is clearly yes — but not without evolution,” says Prof. Chatzilazarou. He notes that mastiha cultivation is already included in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, in the EU’s sustainable agriculture strategy, and in modern business interest for natural, certified products.
“The program acts as a bridge between the traditional way and the demanding environment of our era,” he stresses.
Agricultural Education That Changes Lives – Women and Youth: The New Strength of the Mastiha Villages
Participation in the program transforms the role of young producers. It teaches them why they do what they had learned empirically, turns them into carriers of knowledge, connects them with scientific support networks, and provides professional identity and self-confidence.
Moreover, women have an active and equal role in mastiha cultivation and processing, and “the program supports, educates, and inspires them,” he underlines.
At the same time, young producers are returning from urban centers to invest in a crop that is beginning to show both financial and qualitative returns. According to Prof. Chatzilazarou, prices are rising, demand is steady, and knowledge is now a vital tool.
Mastiha in Medicine, Cosmetics, Gastronomy
The expansion of mastiha uses (pharmaceutical, cosmetic, nutritional) adds value and export potential: wound healing, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial action, oral hygiene products, cosmetics, and natural supplements.
“The uniqueness of Chios mastiha makes it one of the most authentic and competitive products of the Mediterranean,” he notes.
From Tradition to Global Innovation
The program “Mastiha Trees” is not just a subsidized initiative. It is a living community of people, scientists, producers, and institutions proving daily that tradition and innovation can coexist.
“As for centuries past, so today, mastiha cultivation will continue dynamically in the southern part of Chios, offering us its precious tears and filling us with its taste and aroma,” concludes Prof. Chatzilazarou.
Elena Alexiadou
Photographs were provided to AMNA by Stefanos Chatzilazarou.
Source: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ
