Interreg Euro-MED INSPIRE: 3rd Living Lab & Bilateral Meeting with Local Stakeholders in Edessa

On 29 and 30 September 2026, the 3rd Living Lab and a bilateral meeting with local stakeholders from Edessa, Almopia, and the mountainous area of Pella were successfully held within the framework of the Interreg Euro-MED INSPIRE project.

The ANATOLIKI S.A. project team—consisting of Dr. Naya Tselepi, Project Manager, and Renia Gkountiou, Project Team Member—carried out another two-day programme of activities, including the organisation of the project’s 3rd Living Lab and a bilateral meeting with local stakeholders.

During the first day, in the afternoon, the project’s 3rd Living Lab, entitled ‘Agri-food & Sustainable Tourism in the Municipality of Edessa’, was held at the Parthenagogio building in Edessa. During the event, representatives of ANATOLIKI S.A. presented the Local Action Plan for promoting agri-food and sustainable tourism in the area. The local group of producers, processors, small businesses, and stakeholders, established during the second Living Lab in June 2026, discussed and agreed on the priorities, specific actions, and concrete next steps for their implementation and development.

On the second day, the ANATOLIKI S.A. team visited ‘To Perivoli tis Eirinis’, an organic farm with fruit trees located in Xifiani, Pella, near Aridaia and Mount Voras (Kaimaktsalan). The farm cultivates a wide variety of products, including cereals, fruits, vegetables, and spices. The team met with Mr. Giorgos Doumos, owner, producer, and processor of the farm, who guided them through the different cultivation areas, including traditional Bachovitiki pepper and tomato varieties, as well as the orchard. During the tour, Mr. Doumos highlighted the importance of preserving traditional seeds and traditional cultivation practices. The visit continued with a tour of the grain processing and packaging facilities, where the various flour, cereal, and pasta products were presented. As President of the Cooperative, Mr. Doumos also presented the activities of the Organic Pepper Producers’ Cooperative of Almopia-Pella and outlined the challenges and difficulties it currently faces.

This visit contributed to documenting good practices and gaining a better understanding of the local agri-food ecosystem, while strengthening networking among the stakeholders involved and supporting the preparation of the project’s next activities.

The main mission of the Interreg Euro-MED INSPIRE – ‘INtegrating biodiverSity Preservation and agrobIodiversity valorisation in tourism managEment in the MED area’ project is to harness the potential of Mediterranean agrobiodiversity as a catalyst for sustainable, inclusive, and regenerative tourism. By strengthening local agri-food systems and promoting traditional knowledge, the project supports the integrated development of rural areas while safeguarding their cultural, environmental, and social heritage. In the Central Macedonia Region, two Greek partners are involved in the project: the American Farm School, whose study area is mountainous Halkidiki, and ANATOLIKI S.A., whose study area covers Edessa and the mountainous area of Pella. The Municipality of Edessa participates in the project as an associated partner of ANATOLIKI S.A.

INSPIRE brings together 8 partners from 5 Mediterranean countries, combining public authorities, tourism boards, NGOs, and sustainability experts.

Leader: Municipality of Messina (Italy)