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..
Ilias Kalfas from the American Farm School shared with us the prerequisites for the successful adoption of digital technologies in the primary sector and the role of the School in the hub.
Here’s what he told us:
Ilias Kalfas from the American Farm School explained that within the framework of the #DigiAgriFood project, the American Farm School acts as a mediator by understanding the capabilities of modern technological achievements while also being close to the producer, as it is a producer itself. This dual role allows the School to effectively support the adoption of digital technologies in agriculture, especially focusing on small farmers and primary sector innovation.
Success in adopting digital technologies in the primary sector depends on many factors. The main ones are the following:
First of all, the problem that the technology is intended to help the producer with plays an important role. In many cases, there are very advanced technologies that, however, do not help the producer simplify their processes by providing information beyond what they are able to assimilate and incorporate into their daily practice.
Another factor is the user’s familiarity with the digital environment. The more complex and demanding it is, the harder it is for the user to adapt and therefore adopt it. Older producers are less familiar with IT applications and thus find it more difficult to adapt compared to younger ones
Finally, a very important role is played by the interaction of the individuals collaborating with the producer during the digital transformation. They need to understand the producer’s field of activity—in other words, to “speak the same language”—so that they can clearly, competently, and reliably earn the producer’s trust by demonstrating exactly what benefits can be gained from an intelligent system.
The American Farm School, acting as an innovation mediator, stands between research and the real economy. It understands the capabilities of modern technological achievements while being close to the producer, as it is a producer itself. Additionally, it can effectively transmit applied knowledge by leveraging its many years of experience in professional education in the fields of agri-food. Through the specialized structure of its innovation hub, known as the HUB, the School implements numerous related research and applied projects, most of which focus on the transfer of technology and know-how to the links of the agri-food value chain, with an emphasis on primary production. Therefore, our role is that of a direct interlocutor with research institutions and producers, and as a technology mediator for the digital transformation of the agricultural sector.
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.
