On Friday, May 16, took place the open event titled “Sustainable Rural Development in Messinia,” organized by the “Captain Vassilis and Carmen Constantakopoulos” Foundation, held at the conference center of the “Elite” hotel, in Kalamata. The event was met with great success, and turnout was high.

More than 150 farmers and other agriculture professionals of Messinia participated, expressing great interest. With the aim of establishing Messinia as the center of sustainable agricultural development, the “Captain Vassilis” Foundation initiated a series of events, part of which was the presentation of the especially relevant complete plan created by the Foundation for Economic and Industrial Research and sponsored by the Foundation, regarding sustainable agricultural development in the area. The results of the research on the recording of Messinian local varieties, undertaken by the Agricultural University of Athens and sponsored by the Foundation, were also presented. The studies are available to the public and other relevant institutions, after prior contact with the “Captain Vassilis and Carmen Constantakopoulos” Foundation.

In addition, the Secretary General of Agricultural Policy and International Relations (Ministry of Rural Development and Food), Mr. Dimitrios Melas, presented the focus, axes and measures of the new Common Agricultural Policy, and the General Manager of the Piraeus Bank spoke about the possibilities of contract farming. This overall approach offered useful and practical information to the farmers and agriculture professionals of Messinia, regarding the developments and the new possibilities arising in the agricultural field; moreover, it offered significant information to the relevant authorities, helping them carve a more specific rural development plan, based on the new data pertaining to the agricultural sector of Messinia. Keynote speakers were: Melas Dimitrios, Secretary General of Agricultural Policy and International Relations (Ministry of Rural Development and Food), Tsakanikas Aggelos, Assistant Professor at NTUA and Research Manager at the Foundation for Economic and Industrial Research, Maniatis George, Head of the Sectoral Studies Department of the Foundation for Economic and Industrial Research, Drosinou Julia, Head of the Department of Production and Utilization of Crop Products (Ministry of Rural Development and Food), Dr. Thanopoulos Roikos, Head of the Agricultural University of Athens’ Farm Unit, Ioannis Papadopoulos, General Manager of the Piraeus Bank, and Ioannis Zacharis, Contract Banking Manager of the Piraeus Bank.