Hello everyone! I am Evanthia, I am from Greece and for the past few months I’ve been an IVY volunteer on the program SMEOrigin (SMEs and European Original Geographical Indications) in the framework of Interreg Europe.
Its main goal is to improve regional development policies and funding programs aiming at increasing the competitiveness of SMEs in the food sector. More specifically, the project has been designed to foster products with a geographical indication (PDO/PGI) in the involved regions by improving the quality standards of SMEs, fostering their digital transformation, and promoting the authenticity of the products.
Over these months, my role was to help with the organization of the stakeholder and the interregional meetings as well as the reinforcement of the regional thematic reports. Moreover, through my experience, I have grown interest in the nutritional and health benefits of the main PDO/ PGI of my area. Since I am studying Dietetics & Nutrition I’ m planning on doing my own research on these products like the feta cheese, olive oil, mavrodaphne, resin and bottarga. In this way I hope I will contribute even more to the promotion of these products.
Unfortunately, in many areas the geographical indication products and the food sector are either underrepresented or not mentioned at all. By emphasizing an openminded mindset and market interest towards GI food products many can benefit from it. The ones who mainly benefit are the SMEs that produce the PDO/PGIs. Then of course, there is the primary producers like the farmers and fishermen whose product we are promoting and finally a boost to the regional economy is expected.
The partners meet once every six months for the official stakeholder meetings. In the meantime, many thematic meetings are organized. Wine and mavrodaphne producers gather, a great example is Oinoxeneia <https://oinoxeneia.gr/>, which is a good practice for SME projects as well – please, take a look at this link: https://www.interregeurope.eu/good-practices/place-branding-and-development-of-aigialeia-wine-region-through-the-quality-network-oinoxeneia
My experience has been great so far and I’m excited for the rest of my journey in the IVY program!
– Evanthia, IVY Project Partner at the University of Patras for the Interreg project “SMEOrigin”, under the Interreg Europe Programme
