The two-day conference “Water Resource Management and Climate Resilience in Agrifood Systems” & “Innovative Crop Protection & the Environment, within the framework of the InnoPP Flagship Initiative” was successfully completed on June 5 and 6, 2025, at the Amphitheater of the Department of Civil Engineering at Democritus University of Thrace in Xanthi. The event focused on the sustainable management of water resources and climate resilience in the agri-food sector, as well as recent developments in innovative plant protection.
The conference was organized to mark World Environment Day and was held under the auspices and coordination of the Democritus University of Thrace, lead partner of the first European Digital Innovation Hub in the Hellenic Agri-food sector, #DigiAgriFood, in collaboration with the Agri-Food Partnership of Eastern Macedonia & Thrace, the Innovative Crop Protection project (within the InnoPP Flagship Initiative), and the EIT Food Hub Greece.
The program included expert presentations by academics, researchers, and professionals in the field, featuring speakers from the Democritus University of Thrace, the Agricultural University of Athens, the University of Thessaly, the Benaki Phytopathological Institute, and ELGO–DIMITRA. Emphasis was placed on showcasing applied practices and cutting-edge technologies for agrifood production in the face of the ongoing climate crisis.
Key thematic areas included:
- Integrated water resource management and its interaction with the agrifood system
- Strategies in regenerative agriculture and practices to strengthen climate resilience
- Innovations in crop protection and biological disease management
- Digital tools, precision agriculture, and smart agrifood systems
The event also featured the formal introduction of two newly established academic departments of the Democritus University of Thrace in Drama: the Department of Environmental and Climate Resilience Studies and the Department of Viticulture and Oenology.
The conference attracted a wide range of participants, including agrifood sector professionals, agricultural advisors, agronomists, local government officials, business representatives, students, and researchers. Simultaneously, an exhibition of innovative companies and organizations was held in the conference foyer, providing a dynamic platform for networking and collaboration between productive and research stakeholders.
The two-day event highlighted the urgent need for integrating innovation and scientific knowledge into agricultural production, aiming to enhance climate resilience and protect natural resources.
