The workshop of the Xanthi Chamber of Commerce and Industry on “Showcasing and Certifying Local Quality Products of the Agricultural and Agri-food Sector and connecting them with the Tertiary Sector”, held on Sunday, January 29, 2017, was a success.
The speakers were Mr. Michalis Amoiridis – Regional Councilor responsible for Tourism Development; Dr. Thomas Bartzanas, Centre for Research & Technology Hellas (CERTH) / Institute for Research & Technology of Thessaly (IRETETH); Dr. Filippos Papadopoulos, Director of Strategic Planning, American Farm School; Emmanouil Sarantidis, MSc, Agronomist – Union of Agricultural Cooperatives of Xanthi; Dimitris Bardakidis, Agronomist – Member of Team Europe; and Mr. Nikos Tsotsolas, who presented the “KALATHOS” platform.
The workshop was attended by local bodies, producers and professionals working in tourism and agri-food.
The goal of the workshop was to propose alternative solutions for local producers in the years of the crisis. The discussion covered the turn toward promoting and supporting local products, local cuisine and local customs, as well as belief in the Mediterranean diet and Mediterranean products. The connection between tourism and the consumption of local products was presented: steps can be taken so that tourists in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace consume local products. In this way, local farming and livestock can be connected with tourism.
Smart farming technologies and systems that could be used in primary agricultural production were presented, along with logistics systems such as KalaThos. The importance of cooperation for setting up and running agricultural producer groups and organizations was also discussed.
Mr. Dimitris Bardakidis, Agronomist – Member of Team Europe and executive at “ena Development Consultants”, presented the current challenges in the agricultural sector, analyzed the co-funded tools of the RDP, outlined the current situation, and highlighted both the problems and the opportunities for developing the agricultural sector.
