The project is implemented by

Municipality of Zitsa (LB)
Hellenic Agricultural Organization “DEMETER” (PB2)
Three Thirds Society (PB3)
Municipality of Torre Santa Susanna (PB4)
Italian Farmers Confederation Apulia-CIA Apulia (PB5)

Project co-funded by European Union, European Regional Development Funds (E.R.D.F.) and by National Funds of Greece and Italy

The Project

Social Agribusiness and Farmworkers Cooperatives – AgriFarm

Priority Axis: 1. Innovation and Competitiveness

Specific Objective: 1.2 Supporting the incubation of innovative specialized micro and small enterprises in thematic sectors of interest to the Programme Area

The economic crisis in Greece has created a flow towards agriculture. Rural areas offer a hostile economic environment that drives both locals and immigrants to search for employment solutions, seeking work in the province and offeri their labour for cultivating and farming activities. Now that Italy also faces the same economic challenges there is a common ground for establishing Social Agricultural Business (cooperatives).

The project implementation includes the creation of Social Agricultural Enterprises “Farmworkers Cooperatives”, that will provide their services to organized traditional and organic agricultural units, both for greenhouses’ companies, and for individual growers and farmers, operating either in contractual or in free agriculture conditions. Additionally they can provide complementary services such as gardening and park maintenance.

In the framework of the project, a Greek-Italian Agricultural Science Centre will be established, which will deal with the promotion of Research and Development, Training, Innovation and Networking with scientific bodies of the border regions and the operation of a Green Point in fields related to the social agricultural businesses.

The project aims at:

  • Creating new jobs,
  • Providing ongoing educational opportunities for people who already work at the agriculture and farming sector, but also for people who are now entering this field,
  • Promoting and educating on new agricultural methods (safer, environmental friendly),
  • Encourage entrepreneurship, clusters and collaborations
  • Creating a cross border network of information, knowledge and experience exchange, facilitating the distribution of Agricultural and Farming Products
  • Providing a safe and legally protected working environment.
  • Promote environmental protection by encouraging an integrated alternative environmental management of hazardous waste (GREEN POINT),

The project’s approach in addressing the organizational absence in the fields of agriculture and farming is an integrated intervention that will in depth change the way farmers in the areas on intervention see their land and their agricultural and farming activities. Nowadays pieces of land and cattle are viewed as nothing more than property. Through this project implementation a more business oriented mentality will be cultivated.

Social Media Network

Deliverables

  • Project and Financial Management

  • Project Meetings

    • Kick-off Meeting – Zitsa (PB3)

    • 2nd Project Meeting – Torre Santa Susanna (PB4)

    • 3rd Project Meeting– Zitsa (LB)

    • 4th Project Meeting– Bari (PB5)

    • Meetings through teleconference and skype calls

  • Evaluation (LB)

  • Audit Reports

  • Communication Plan, Strategy, Templates, Logos, Slogans etc. (PB3)

  • Communication Managers (PB3)

  • Production of Communication material and tools (LB,PB4)

    • Brochures

    • Videos

    • Radio Campaign through Radio Spots

    • Social media Campaign

  • Organization of Transnational Exhibitions

    • Zitsa (LB)

    • Torre Santa Susanna (PB4)

  • Publicity Events and Conferences

    • Launch Event in Zitsa (PB3)

    • Launch Event in Bari (PB5)

    • Project’s main event (conference) in Zitsa (LB) (2 days) the second year of the project

    • One publicity event / conference in Torre Santa Susanna (PB4)

    • Final – Closing Event in Zitsa (LB)

  • Project’s Web Portal.

    • Development (PB3)

    • Monitoring and Update of the content (PB3, PB5)

  • Business Plans for the operation of Social Agricultural Enterprises. Five (5) sectorial business (English, Greek, Italian) – PB2,PB5

  • Development of an integrated marketing and promotion plan for the Social Agricultural Enterprises (based on social marketing) – PB3,PB5

  • Development of a common (Greece & Italy) marketing and promotion plan (based on social marketing) – PB3,PB5

  • Drafting specifications concerning the cultivation, processing, standardization, packaging based on sectorial BPs – PB2,PB5

  • Specialization of actions with significant social footprint (e.g. free distribution of products to institutions or to vulnerable groups) – PB3,PB4

  • Establishing of the Greek – Italian Social Agricultural Scientific Centre

    • A structure in Zitsa and a structure in Torre Santa Susanna (LB,PB2,PB3,PB4, PB5)

    • Equipment (PB2)

  • Cooperation with Consumer Networks. Direct agreements between Social Agricultural Enterprises and consumers (without intermediaries)

    • One Regional Network (LB)

    • Four (4) Networks (PB3)

    • Three (3) Networks (PB4)

  • Jointly promoting actions. Common participation in international exhibitions and study visits

    • Organization of one 3-days exhibition in Zitsa (LB)

    • Organization of a 2-days study visit in Zitsa (LB)

    • Organization of one 3-days exhibition in Torre Santa Susanna (PB4)

    • Organization of a 2-days study visit in Torre Santa Susanna (PB4)

  • Educational – training actions for the members and workers at the Social Agricultural Enterprises (4 Seminars in Greece and 4 in Italy) PB2 & PB5

    • Trainers Costs

    • Educational Material

    • Organization

  • Local Workshops

    • Five (5) in Greece (LB)

    • Five (5) in Italy (PB4)

  • Local Awareness Meetings (LB,PB4)

    • Four (4) in Greece and four (4) in Italy

  • Advisory & Consulting services for the development and operation of the Social Agricultural Enterprises (PB2,PB3,PB5)

    • Advisory, Mentoring and Coaching Sessions

    • Specialized consulting services for the creation and development of social enterprises

    • Technical Sessions on Agricultural issues

    • Accounting services, consulting on organization and administration of social enterprises

    • Legal support services etc.

    • Back office support for the consultants “on the field”, help desk, online research, consulting templates and material, elaboration of business ideas etc

  • Elaborate actions, tools and mechanisms for financial support (PB3,PB2,PB5)

Develop Hybrid Regional Financial Tools for Agriculture and Social Enterprises (Cooperatives)

The Project's numbers

Agrifarm within numbers

666,532.5euro

Budget

24months

Duration

2+

Countries

70%

Progress

Greece-Italy 2014-2020

Interreg V-A Greece-Italy Programme

What is Interreg V-A Greece-Italy Programme?

Greece and Italy, two neighbouring countries with a rich and common past, have more than 25 years of cooperation experience, starting from 1990 until now. Interreg V-A Greece-Italy Programme is a European Territorial Cooperation Programme that aims to help public institutions and local stakeholders to develop cross-border projects and pilot actions and to create new policy, products and services, with the final goal to improve the citizens’ quality of life. Strategically, the programme will enhance innovation in a number of fields such as blue growth, tourism and culture, agro food and cultural and creative industries.

Interreg V-A Greece-Italy Programme aims to get maximum return from EUR 123 million financed per 85% by European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and per 15% by the 2 member states Greece and Italy through a national co-financing.

Priority Axes

Innovation & Competitiveness aim to increase the capacity of Small and Medium Enterprises to engage in Reserch&Development activities that will lead to innovative products, processes and services with the final goal to contribute to the building of a strong export based economy and to strengthen specific growth sectors such as the blue growth, all activities having links with the sea and creative, cultural and agro-food industries.

Innovation and competitiveness is highlighted in the European Strategy 2020 as a major challenge for regions facing international competition, boosting the creation of new jobs in the Programme Area, which is suffering particularly high unemployment rate, on average almost 24% of the active population, more than double of the EU-28 average (10.8%).

Interreg V-A Greece-Italy Programme

Greece and Italy, two neighbouring countries with a rich and common past, have more than 25 years of cooperation experience, starting from 1990 until now.
Interreg V-A Greece-Italy Programme is a European Territorial Cooperation Programme that aims to help public institutions
and local stakeholders to develop cross-border projects and pilot actions and to create new policy, products and services, with the final goal to improve the citizens’ quality of life.

more info

Our herbs

In the framework of WP3: Studies and Surveys five (5) herbs have been chosen for branding:

Melissa

Melissa officinalis (Common name: Lemon balm)

Oregano

Origanum vulgare ssp. Hirtum

Chamomile

Matricaria Chamomilla

Sideritis sp

Common name: Greek Mountain Tea

Salvia Salvia sp.

Salvia officinalis and Salvia fruticosa

Latest News

Read our latest news from both Italy and Greece

Read the blog

Get in touch

How to reach us

info[a]project-agrifarm.eu

Download Poster