The Democritus University of Thrace (DUTH), with its consistent and dynamic presence in the educational and research landscape of Greece, will once again participate in the 89th Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF), taking place from September 6 to 14, 2025, at the TIF-Helexpo Exhibition Center.
This year’s TIF is particularly significant, marking 100 years since the establishment of the fair in 1925. With a thematic focus on new technologies, innovation, and sustainable development, the 89th edition of TIF is expected to be a landmark event for showcasing cutting-edge applications and strengthening the connection between academic research and society.
Within the framework of the special Academia exhibition area, dedicated to higher education and research, DUTH will be present at Pavilion 17, occupying Stands 33 & 41. Among the university’s key exhibits, a prominent presence will once again be held by the Agri-Food Innovation Hub #DigiAgriFood, which will participate with its own dedicated booth and exhibition space, presenting the latest developments in agri-food innovation.
#DigiAgriFood, the first European Digital Innovation Hub in the Hellenic Agri-food sector, highlights the critical role of digital technologies in enhancing agricultural production, entrepreneurship, and sustainability. During the exhibition, visitors will have the opportunity to explore firsthand projects and applications related to smart farming, data analytics, artificial intelligence in agriculture, as well as initiatives promoting the transition to a greener and more competitive agri-food economy.
#DigiAgriFood’s participation in TIF 2025 further reinforces its strategic role as a bridge between research, innovation, and real-world needs of society and the market. At the same time, it serves as an excellent opportunity for networking, knowledge exchange, and collaboration with stakeholders, businesses, and scientists from Greece and abroad.
As part of this year’s event, DigiAgriFood is organizing a session titled “Open Data – Open Services for the Agri-Food Sector.” The panel will be held on Saturday, September 13, 2025, from 17:00 to 18:00, at Pavilion 17, in the area where Democritus University of Thrace is hosted, Stands 33 & 41.
The panel will focus on the importance of open data and open services as drivers of innovation and transparency in the agri-food sector. Real-time application examples will be presented, utilizing data from:
- A network of meteorological and environmental monitoring stations that support risk forecasting (e.g. frost, drought) and improve crop management.
- A network of insect traps providing open access to population data of crop pests, supporting the implementation of sustainable plant protection practices.
Through the discussion, it will be highlighted how the use of open data contributes to better decision-making, cost and input reduction, environmental protection, and the development of new value-added services for producers, advisors, researchers, and businesses.
The panel will bring together representatives from research, local government, entrepreneurship, and the farming community, aiming to showcase both the opportunities and challenges of making open data available and usable.
Panel participants (in alphabetical order):
- Georgios Broufas, Vice Rector for Research & Innovation, DUTH
- Christos Partsias, Smart Specialization & E-Governance Department, Regional Development Fund of Eastern Macedonia & Thrace
- Konstantinos Rallis, Postdoctoral Researcher, DUTH
- Georgios Syrakoulis, Professor, Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, DUTH
We invite you to visit the booths of DUTH and #DigiAgriFood to explore the initiatives that bring the future of agri-food.