The Marketing team of ena Development Consultants—Christos Pitiakoudis, Sofia Argyriadou, and Maria Karyofilaki—in the context of creating the #32 Business Story, spoke with representatives of the 6 partners of #DigiAgriFood, the first European Digital Innovation Hub in the agri-food sector in Greece.
The partners of the hub responded to a series of questions regarding the importance of digital transformation in agri-food, the technologies being utilized, the significant activities of the hub, and their roles in the project. They highlighted their commitment and enthusiasm for the initiative, as well as their expectations for the growth and future of the agri-food sector in Greece.
The #DigiAgriFood hub aims to strengthen the digital and green transformation of the entire agri-food value chain, delivering direct benefits to citizens, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and the public sector. It specializes in technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Advanced Digital Skills, High-Performance Computing, Digital Transformation, and Interoperability, directly contributing to the missions and objectives of the “Digital Europe Programme 2021–2027.”
The role of ena Development Consultants, as Partner, Innovation & Communication Mediator of #DigiAgriFood, is to connect the needs of the real economy and businesses with the innovation produced by the research institutions participating in the hub, while simultaneously developing comprehensive communication strategies for the hub’s goals, activities, and achievements.
Consortium, #DigiAgriFoodled by Democritus University of Thracealso includes the University of Thessaly, the Ινστιτούτο Βιο-Οικονομίας και Αγρο-Τεχνολογίας (iBO) του Εθνικού Κέντρου Έρευνας και Τεχνολογικής Ανάπτυξης (ΕΚΕΤΑ), το Perrotis College της Αμερικανικής Γεωργικής Σχολής και η Region of Eastern Macedonia & Thrace..
Η Χριστίνα Αϊναροζίδου, μέλος της ομάδας έργου #DigiAgriFood από την Region of Eastern Macedonia & Thrace., μοιράστηκε μαζί μας τον ρόλο της Περιφέρειας στον κόμβο και την ετοιμότητα του αγροδιατροφικού τομέα στην ψηφιακή μετάβαση.
Here’s what he told us:
Christina Ainarozidou, member of the #DigiAgriFood project team, Region of Eastern Macedonia & Thrace: Digital maturity and readiness are not the same at every link of the agri-food value chain. Special emphasis must be placed on farmers and agricultural holdings, where transitions occur more difficultly and at slower rates.
The Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, through its participation in the first European Digital Innovation Hub in the Agri-Food Sector, aims to communicate and disseminate the digital and green transformation across the entire spectrum of the Agri-Food Industry, with the ultimate goal of integrating the agricultural community into the modern world of entrepreneurship.
Its special role involves connecting all intermediate bodies and interested or end users, as we would call them, with the services provided by the Hub. Through actions implemented that concern the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace itself within the Project—such as mentoring, workshops, field day training, as well as any type of informational event or seminar conducted—it fulfills the role of the Regional Authority in communicating and linking all structures of the Agri-Food sector with the Digital Innovation represented by the DigiAgriFood Program.
The digital transition of the agri-food sector is a modern necessity. Moreover, the degree of readiness varies at each link of the agri-food value chain. In some areas, such as the food industries, we encounter a higher level of digital maturity or find a more receptive audience to address regarding innovations. However, in the part concerning agricultural holdings and farmers, transitions occur at slower and more challenging rates.
It is therefore necessary to place greater emphasis on those links of the agri-food value chain that face difficulties in entering the digital transformation, by providing them with more information, support, and assistance. This is critical for the presence of the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace in this Program, because through the unique role of the Regional Authority and the connectivity it can offer, it is called upon to help ensure their smooth integration into the new era of digital innovation.
Read the full #32 Business Story of #DigiAgriFood here.
The proposal for participation in the European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs) program, under the acronym #DigiAgriFood and led by Democritus University of Thrace, with the involvement of ena Development Consultants, was selected by the European Commission within the framework of the “Digital Europe 2021-2027” program. Together with 135 other candidate hubs across Europe, #DigiAgriFood will form innovation ecosystems that generate added value for all citizens in sectors such as health, rural development, and digital governance.
Through the “Digital Europe 2021-2027” program, the European Commission supports the development of the above network of ecosystems, aiming to strengthen the European Union’s capabilities in the fields of High-Performance Computing (HPC), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cybersecurity, advanced Digital Skills development, and the digital transformation and interoperability of Public Administration.
