SEMINAR SUMMARY
The open seminar “Agricultural sector prospects in Messinia, 2017,” which was organized by the “Captain Vassilis and Carmen Constantakopoulos” Foundation, took place on Monday, November 27 at the conference center of the “Horizon Blue” hotel in Kalamata, and was concluded with great success and a great turnout. The seminar was eagerly attended by over 160 producers and professionals of the Messinian rural economy. As part of its endeavors aimed towards establishing Messinia as a prime example of sustainable agricultural development, the “Captain Vassilis and Carmen Constantakopoulos” Foundation presented the results of the various collaborations it initiated throughout the year, and provided the opportunity to the producers and professionals of the Messinian rural economy to exchange useful knowledge and information regarding the developments and new prospects in the agricultural sector.
More specifically, the findings and data from the study so far concerning the rare medicinal species that grow in Taygetus were presented by Dr. Anastasios Darras, associate professor at the Technological Educational Institute of Peloponnese. Mr. Dimitris Velissariou, former dean of the Technological Educational Institute of Peloponnese, talked about issues concerning the prospects of the agricultural sector in Messinia, and Mr. Sotiris Liberopoulos, co-owner of the company “RADIKI,” talked about issues related to the founding and development of the company from its beginning to this day. Mr. Dimitris Tsoukalas, former president of the Anavra community in Magnesia, and president of the voluntary organization “ANAVRA-ZO,” described how a place such as Anavra could stand as a bright example for other areas in Greece, and how a local government can contribute to the rural development of a region. Finally, Mr. Dinos Stergidis, president of the international olive oil competition “Athena,” talked about the importance of such competitions, providing information about the last one that took place in Messinia. The talks were followed by a discussion among the speakers, and there was also time for the audience to ask questions. Mr. Kostas Tsaousis, journalist, was the seminar’s coordinator.
The “Captain Vassilis and Carmen Constantakopoulos” Foundation would like to thank all participants, as well as the speakers, for their contribution to the seminar’s success; we are confident that together we can establish Messinia as a model for sustainable rural development.
