INNOVAGRO PLUS: Successfully held the National Event in Greece
The ADRION area is characterized by low innovation performance, limited capacity of SMEs, inadequate cooperation among companies and research institutes, low synergies among agro-food and tourism sector and low implementation of environmentally – friendly farming practices. INNOVAGRO and INNOVAGRO PLUS aim to address these challenges and to promote networking, innovation capacity, business transfer, entrepreneurship, crossborder cooperation between the beneficiaries of agro- food and tourism sectors.
General Assembly of INNOVAGRO Transnational Network
Find out more about the Project INNOVAGRO & INNOVAGRO PLUS
INNOVAGRO project focused on the development of links and synergies between farmers, agro-food enterprises, Research Institutes and Public Authorities aspiring to achieve, a) the promotion of agro-food products’ extroversion, b) the development of agro-food companies’ internalization, and c) the promotion of environmentally – friendly farming practices. Project’s main outputs are the establishment of: a Transnational Cooperation Network in agro-food & tourism sector and a Virtual Transnational Business Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center (VIBIEC) that will offer support through e-incubators, e-business network platform and other self-assesment tools.
INNOVAGRO PLUS project, as sequel of INNOVAGRO project, is the further promotion, exploitation and capitalization of the 2 main outcomes of INNOVAGRO project. The overall objectives of INNOVAGRO PLUS project are to: a) Increase awareness among potential beneficiaries, stakeholders and interested institutions on the role of European Territorial Cooperation to increase cohesion, b) Promote INNOVAGRO project’s outcomes and results to national/ regional/level, c) Promote the practical use, relevance, and transferability of INNOVAGRO project’s outcomes (e.g.: VBIEC) to potential beneficiaries, and d) Provide first-hand information on managing and implementing European projects to future potential beneficiaries.
The Chania Chamber of Commerce and Industry kicked off the General Assembly and National Meeting of Innovagro on 16- 18 June, in Chania (Greece). The overall aim of the event was to promote networking and raise awareness about the potential of the agri-food and tourism sector.
The meeting started with welcoming remarks by Chryssa Makraki – Charitaki, on behalf of the Project lead partner, the open message of the Governor of Crete Stavros Arnaoutakis, the regional adviser in the field of European and International Affairs, George Alexakis and the President of the Chamber of Chania, Antonis Rokakis. Katerina Themeli from the Greek Managing Authority of European Territorial Cooperation Programmes and ADRION National contact point, highlighted the milestones and the achievements of Interreg ADRION Programme for 2014-2020.
INNOVAGRO and INNOVAGRO PLUS positive impact on local economy was analyzed and discussed during the event. Evangelos Grigoroudis, Dean of the School of Production Engineering and Management of the Technical University of Crete presented the project’s digital business support platform VBIEC.
The event ended with a “sweet” closure by the producer of jam Eleni Doudounaki, who highlighted that she used project’s networking platform in order to promote her products in European markets.
The following day, the Assembly of the INNOVAGRO Transnational Network gathered institutes and stakeholders from Greece, Italy, Slovenia, Serbia, and Albania, currently members of the INNOVAGRO Network established in October 2020.
Speakers were the regional Authorities of Crete and the Chania Chamber. The session continued with Barbara Di Piazza, Head of ADRION Joint Secretariat, who presented the new opportunities of the next IPA ADRION Programme 2021-2027.
Participants had the opportunity to join sessions on the existing best networking practices in the agri-food sector, on the challenges arising from the Covid-19 pandemic and the current energy and food crisis. The INNOVAGRO Network’s Action Plan was approved by the members, while a great number of stakeholders expressed their interest of joining as new members.
Participants had finally the chance to make a short tour to some of the most interesting companies producing olive, wine and beekeeping products.
Wine Tasting in Chania, Greece