PRESS RELEASE – The future of agriculture, generational renewal, and innovation at the heart of the 12th GAIA CONGRESS

With strong participation and meaningful dialogue on the challenges and prospects of the primary sector, the 12th GAIA CONGRESS on the Development of Greek Agriculture took place on Friday, June 12, 2026, in Xanthi, Greece, under the theme “Shaping the Future of Agriculture: Generational Renewal and Innovation.”

Organized by GAIA EPICHEIREIN and hosted at the “P” Tobacco Warehouse of the Foundation of Thracian Art and Tradition, the event brought together representatives of the state, local government, European institutions, the academic and research community, agri-food businesses, cooperative organizations, and young farmers from across the country.

Interest in the conference proceedings was particularly high, with more than 190 participants attending in person, while online viewership exceeded 1,000. This strong engagement confirms both the importance of dialogue on the future of Greek agriculture and the established role of GAIA CONGRESS as one of the most significant platforms for knowledge exchange and reflection within the agri-food sector.

The conference was officially opened by Anastasios Trypitsidis, CEO of GAIA EPICHEIREIN, who addressed the challenges faced by Greek agriculture within an ever-changing economic, environmental, and geopolitical landscape. He highlighted the importance of generational renewal and the adoption of innovation as key drivers for the sustainable development of the primary sector.

Welcoming remarks were delivered by Vasso Pavlakaki, Vice Regional Governor of Xanthi; Alexandros Kontos, General Director of SEKE; Ioannis Peponidis, Municipal Councillor and Vice President of SDANX; Carmen Crespo Díaz, Member of the European Parliament, Chair of the Committee on Fisheries and member of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development; Herbert Dorfmann, Member of the European Parliament and Coordinator of the European People’s Party in the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development; Matteo Pagliariani, Vice President of CEJA (European Council of Young Farmers); Amet Sinan, President of the Thrace Tobacco Growers’ Cooperative; Nikos Tsinaridis, Director of the Agricultural Cooperative of Xanthi “The Union”; and Radu Mihailov, Vice President of the Copa-Cogeca Working Party on Research and Innovation and President of the Bio Top Romania Agricultural Cooperative.

Their interventions highlighted the importance of shaping policies that will strengthen the competitiveness of the primary sector, create new opportunities in rural areas, and enable more young people to pursue professional careers in agriculture.

The conference’s first thematic session featured the presentation of a new GPO survey titled “Young Farmers at the Heart of the Transition of Greek Agriculture,” delivered by Dimitris Papaggelopoulos, Strategy and Development Advisor at GPO. The findings highlighted the views, priorities, and expectations of young people in rural areas, providing valuable insights for the design of future policies.

The discussion that followed included Giannis Oikonomou, Member of Parliament for Fthiotida with New Democracy and former Minister of Rural Development and Food, Dimitris Papaggelopoulos, and journalist Giorgos Lykourentzos, who also moderated the session.

The second thematic session, titled “The Future of the CAP: From the 2023–2027 Period to the New Programming Period,” focused on developments surrounding the Common Agricultural Policy and the challenges that European agriculture is expected to face in the coming years.

The discussion featured Paulo Gouveia, Chief Policy Advisor at Copa-Cogeca; Yves Madre, President of Farm Europe; Giannis Oikonomou, Member of Parliament for Fthiotida with New Democracy and former Minister of Rural Development and Food; Stathis Giannakidis, former Minister of Finance and Development; Spyridon Kintzios, Rector of the Agricultural University of Athens; and Nikos Pavlonasios, President of PENA. The session was moderated by journalist Giorgos Lykourentzos.

The third thematic session, titled “How Technology Shapes a More Sustainable and Competitive Agriculture,” attracted significant interest. During the session, modern applications and technological solutions contributing to the digital transformation of agriculture were presented.

The discussion featured Dr. Kiki Zinoviadou, Dean of Perrotis College at the American Farm School; Antonis Kiatsis, Precision Agriculture Specialist at Agrotech; Christina Kremmyda, Product Manager at NEUROPUBLIC; Maria Michalopoulou, Professor and Coordinator of the European DigiAgriFood Hub at Democritus University of Thrace; Konstantinos Oroilidis, OEM Key Account Manager for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa at CNH Industrial; and Alexis Polytakis, Director of Agricultural Banking at Piraeus Bank. The session was moderated by journalist Nikos Spitseris.

The fourth and final thematic session, titled “Stories from the Field: From Theory to Practice,” gave the floor to those directly involved in production.

Panagiotis Koroneos, EU Bioeconomy Youth Ambassador; Giorgos Meleneklis, Agronomist and Agri-food Sector Professional at Menoikio; Nikos Botrotsos, President of the Agricultural Association of Komotini; Vassilis Portokallidis, owner of Portokallidis cottage industry; Kostas Papadimitriou, farmer and livestock breeder; Dimitris Samaras, professional fisherman; and Stella Tofea, agronomist, shared experiences, challenges, and best practices from their daily work, highlighting the crucial role that the new generation is called upon to play in shaping the future of rural Greece. The session was moderated by Maria Abatzi, journalist at Ypaithros Chora.

The Congress concluded with remarks by Anastasios Trypitsidis, who emphasized that Greek agriculture possesses significant growth potential, provided that it continues to invest in knowledge, innovation, technology, and, above all, in the young people who choose to remain and create in rural Greece.

The 12th Congress on the Development of Greek Agriculture was held within the framework of the CAP4Youth project: CAP for Young Farmers – Generational Renewal and Sustainable Agriculture in Greece, implemented by GAIA EPICHEIREIN during the period 2025–2026, with the support of the Directorate General for Agriculture and Rural Development of the European Commission.

The event was held with the support of sponsors NEUROPUBLIC, Piraeus Bank, COSMOCERT, PJ Condellis, and JTI, and was conducted under the auspices of the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace and the Municipality of Xanthi.