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The Consortium

NEUROPUBLIC is an innovative ICT SME (90+ employees), specialized in the development of integrated IS and high-demand applications built in Cloud computing architecture. NP products and services are being successfully used for over 10 years, by more than 800.000 end-users in agriculture, local government and healthcare. NP is a member of AIOTI (www.aioti.eu), EARSC (www.earsc.org), and BDVA (www.bdva.eu), invests considerable amount of money in R&D (2.5 million euros spent over 2013-2016) and implements the research results on innovative products that satisfy the demands of the future and the new trend markets. NP has participated in various EC and European Space Agency (ESA) funded projects.

NP is currently responsible for the organisation of the Precision agriculture pilots in olives, fruits, grapes and vegetables, which are organised across Europe in the context of DataBio (www.databio.eu), the H2020 Big Data Large Scale Project in agriculture and bioeconomy. Since 2006, NP has been the main provider of the Payment and Control Agency for Guidance and Guarantee Community Aid regarding the development of IS on the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and Rural Development.

NP developed GAIA Epicheirein (https://www.c-gaia.gr) platform, a tool for information support of the needs of each body of the cooperative and private agricultural economy (“real economy”). GAIA provides on a subscription basis a plethora of agricultural services to the whole spectrum of agri-food shareholders (more than 680.000 end-users, 80% of all Greek agricultural stakeholders), in the areas of smart farming, traceability, distance learning, production, certifications, subsidies, e-commerce, management etc.

On 2015 NP launched its pilot program which aims to promote smart farming all over Greece. NP will establish an IoT infrastructure for smart farming, by producing and installing a nation-widenetwork of GAIAtron agri-sensors, covering the whole Greek arable area by the end of 2024.

Website:  www.neuropublic.gr

The Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, with more than 2000 members of scientific personnel and 45000 undergraduate and graduate students. The Laboratory of Heat Transfer and Environmental Engineering (LHTEE) belongs to the Energy Section of the Mechanical Engineering Department, Aristotle University Thessaloniki, Greece. The Lab is responsible for 11 pre-graduate courses in the Mechanical Engineering Department. LHTEE conducts research in the field of environmental engineering and energy systems with emphasis on the rational use of raw materials and energy, the assessment of the environmental burden caused by various processes and the optimization of environmental control and management practices. Scientific work spans over a wide range of areas, from air pollution modelling to Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), and from recycling studies to eco- design. LHTEE provides support to public authorities and the private sector within its area of activities.

The School of Agriculture Department of Hydraulics, Soil Science and Agricultural Engineering (DHSSAE) established in 1937 has a long time experience in educational and research activities concerning environmental modelling and protection in agricultural areas. The Main related research interests of the DHSSAE staff is specialized in environmental modelling and impact assessment, crop yield prediction and decision support systems in agriculture. It is involved in basic and applied research that covers many aspects of water and soil science including crop pattern allocation, irrigation systems and scheduling, groundwater modelling, nitrate pollution, soil chemistry and provides a wide-range of research quality analyses for soil and water samples using state-of-the-art analytical equipment and techniques. DHSSAE is in close connection with the agricultural society providing consulting services on water and soil resources management and for improving both agrifood production and environmental quality.

Website:  www.auth.gr

Viña Costeira was founded in 1968, as the result of the illusion of a group of visionaries and rebels who broke with the wine trends of the time, in order to recover the historical grape varieties of Galicia: Loureira, Godello, Albariño and Treixadura, among others. From the very beginning, tradition and innovation have always been present in Viña Costeira, and the combination of these two factors is which now consolidates us as a solid reference in the Galician wine scene. Varietal diversity is one of the historical wealth of Ribeiro. Different strains contribute to make the region not an uniform monoculture but a surprising tapestry. In wine, this wealth also creates incredible combinations of nuances and aromas. Treixadura, Torrontés, Loureira, Lado, Albariño and Godello” are the most relevant varieties involved in the production of the white wines, providing their freshness, body and aromas. Caiño, Brancellao, Sousón, Ferrón and Mencíaare the stars of red wines, by giving them the special taste from Galicia. Our vineyards are spread between the villages of Ribadavia, Leiro and Cenlle, in a valley formed by the rivers Miño and its tributaries Avia and Arnoia. A privileged location that benefits the cultivation of the vines, according to an ideal weather conditions.

The soils of granite origin and South orientation are distributed in ‘costeiras’, which is the historical name for the best slopes in the sun, where the best grapes are grown. We elaborate and bottle wine and our capacity yn the winwry is about 10.000.000kg of grapes, our region is Ribeiro in Ourense and our winery is the 40% of the region and our wines are the most sold in Galicia.

Website:  https://costeira.es/

GAIA EPICHEIREIN was founded in 2014 as a result of a broad alliance between farmers & agri-cooperatives (71 agri-cooperatives and associations, more than 150.000 farmers) that have teamed up with partners from the IT sector (NEUROPUBLIC SA) and the banking sector (PIRAEUS BANK GROUP via its member EXCELIXI SA) sharing a common vision of a more sustainable and competitive primary sector in Greece.
GAIA EPICHEIREIN’s mission is to assist Greek farmers and agri-cooperatives in making a quality leap towards a more sustainable and competitive agricultural model by investing in three strategic pillars: knowledge and innovation, entrepreneurship & cooperation.
To fulfill its mission GAIA EPICHEIREIN provides information, policy support & high quality services to the representatives of the Greek primary sector. The key denominator of all services is technological innovation and they broadly cover Greek farmers’ and agri-cooperatives’ needs, ranging from the optimization of their economic & environmental performance by adopting innovative approaches, to assistance in applying for national & EU support.

Website:  https://www.c-gaia.gr/

Mirabello, located in Lasithi in Crete, is well known for its landscape and the magnificent shores. Given the touristic value of the area, farmers tend to be less dependent on olive trees for their income, creating thus a common for the Greek island socio-economic mixture, that threatens productive land with abandonment.

The Union of Cooperatives of Mirabello created in 1933 struggles to fight this trend, as olive growing is practically the only agricultural activity in the area, and the Union’s sole activity is the olive oil’s production and trading. To that effect Mirabello has been the 1st organization in Crete established an accredited panel test for olive oil’s quality. During the last years Mirabello has participated with 22 olive oil producers in LC Assessment in order to give added value in the extra virgin olive produced and to get certification of Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) from a Swedish certification body (www.environdec.com). Today its agronomist Mrs. Malliaraki S. is member of the technical secretariat of the standard PFCR for olive oil.

Fortunately, a relatively small number of dedicated olive growers support the Union in its effort to wake up people’s interest in the olive crop. Since 2005, an EMS has been established by the Union in order to help the organization of primary production and create arguments for the differentiation of the product, especially the kind of arguments that could be interesting for the customers of the touristic business. The farmers group that support the environmental approach for differentiation have taken serious efforts during the last 2 years to promote their olive oil on the grounds of its environmental performance as this is depicted on the EPD which includes a whole host of environmental indicators. Finally, Mirabello was participated in a volunteer bases in LIFESAGE10 and is beneficiary of LIFEoLIVECLIMA.

Website:  http://www.easm.gr/

A.S.E.P.O.P. Velventos is a cooperative founded in 1958 in Kastoria and consists of 400 members whose main activity is the production and management of fresh fruit. The products produced by the members of the cooperative are peaches, nectarines, apples, kiwi, prunes, nays, quinces, apricots, cherries. The total production exceeds 14,000 tons. The distribution of the products is made by the cooperative itself in large supermarket chains, but also in various large markets in Greece. ASEPOP exports account for 50% of its total output to countries such as Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Serbia, Ukraine, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Romania, Cyprus and Egypt. At A.S.E.P.O.P., since 2002, an integrated pest management system has been implemented following the AGRO 2.1 2.2 standard.

Website:  https://asepop.gr/, https://velvita.gr/

CONFAGRI was founded in October 1985 to represent the cooperative Portuguese sector in international and national forums. It is member of COGECA (General Confederation of Agricultural Co-operatives in the EU), Member of the Economical and Social Committee of the European Union and in Portugal, as well as members of some forecast groups in the European Commission. CONFAGRI also participates in various Advisory Groups in the EC and Consulting Groups in COPA-COGECA. CONFAGRI’s main goal is the sustainable development of the agricultural sector, as a support for rural areas viability, counting with its own associative structure, in a close dialogue with around five hundred cooperatives (rural areas’ SMEs), which represent more than 50% of Portuguese farmers. CONFAGRI participated in several European and national projects, like TESLA, SCOoPE or UP_running, European projects on energy. CONFAGRI, as a partner, participate involving Portuguese wineries and olive oil mills and other cooperatives, detecting the potential of exploiting the woody residues from the farming activities associated to collect grapes and olives. Relevant network and experience in National and European projects: – CONFAGRI has been engaged in many national and European projects, working with stakeholders engagement in rural areas as well as in the energy sector, giving it relevant experience with the key actors from and related to rural areas (farming organizations, farmers, technology, research and investment funds):

  • INOVAGRI, a training action project with cooperative leaders and managers, for the competitiveness improvement of SME cooperatives; 61 entities were beneficiary of this project, with 25 trainers and 46 consultants (2010-2014);
  • Advisory Farming System, with CONFAGRI as coordinator, with more than 50 local cooperatives as partners (since 2012); A second project on farming advisory with more than one hundred local cooperatives is starting in 2018.
  • Rede Program, applied to Portuguese SMEs in specific sectors: olive oil and forestry (2001) http://www.rede.iefp.pt

Website:  https://www.confagri.pt/