Greece

Region of Thessaly, Greece

Pilot support: RoT

Challenges: Deindustrialization affects the secondary sector; Low services development.;Low economic contribution of forestry and fishing sectors; 2023 floods.

Strenghts: Fertile agricultural plains and quality agro-alimentary products; Vital tourist resources.;Region role in transportation sector; Large share of agricultural production in Greece (~20%) and meat/dairy products.

RRI needs: Sustainable rural development, environmental solutions, digital convergence for competitiveness improvement.

Barriers of SMEs /Industrial Actors: Impact of deindustrialization, limited sectoral diversity, and innovation capacity.

What shapes the food systems transformation in Greece?

This document offers key actionable insights to accelerate open innovation in Greece’s regional food systems. It brings together key insights from relevant literature and stakeholder interviews and translates them into easy-to-apply recommendations to accelerate the transition toward circular and inclusive food systems.

Dimensions	What enables innovation	What challenges innovation
Political	Smart Specialisation Strategies support regional food innovation EU Horizon funding for climate-smart agriculture supports sustainable food production	Fragmented agricultural policies and bureaucratic complexity slow policy implementation Limited integration of sustainability in policy incentives limits green transitions
Economic	Smart Specialisation Strategies support economic growth and innovation Plant-based food market growth drives sustainable demand Public–private partnerships support agri-food innovation	Lack of venture capital for agri-tech startups limits scaling beyond early stages High costs of transitioning to sustainable practices burden smallholder farmers
Social	Increasing consumer awareness supports sustainable food choices Social economy initiatives foster knowledge-sharing and sustainability	Resistance to dietary change limits sustainable food uptake Workforce gaps in agri-food digitalisation slow technology adoption
Technological	Marine biotechnology advancements support sustainable aquaculture Circular economy practices promote resource efficiency	Limited adoption of smart farming technologies slows progress Lack of standardized food traceability systems limits transparency

What do the key actors say?

This section summarizes key insights on barriers and enablers identified by local stakeholders representing civil society, industry, public authorities, and academia. The insights are based on 6 qualitative interviews carried out during the initial phase of the project.

CIVIL SOCIETY INDUSTRY

EU and public funding enable sustainable
operations, but regulatory rigidity limits scalability
Bureaucratic delays and reliance on complex
networks constrain microfinance flexibility
NGO–academia collaboration supports skills and
knowledge sharing
Digital and circular innovations enable progress,
but gaps in diffusion remain

INDUSTRY

Policy frameworks support innovation, but
regulatory complexity slows SMEs
Demand for sustainable and AI-driven solutions
boosts competitiveness, but costs remain high
Collaboration supports innovation, yet
alignment is limited due to resource constraints
Digitalisation and emerging technologies drive
change, but skills gaps persist

Academia research

Public funding supports research, but but long
term financial uncertainty hinders market uptake
TRL gaps limit research commercialization
Industry collaboration improves research, but
bureaucracy constrains impact
Spin-offs and data sharing support innovation, but
transfer capacity is limited

PUBLIC AUTHORITY

EU and national strategies support transition, but
bureaucracy slows adoption
Investment incentives exist, yet smallholders face
access barriers
Training and trust-building platforms (e.g. living
labs) support diffusion, but skills gaps persist
Precision agriculture and AI enable change, though
uptake remains uneven

Key reccomendations to accelerate the transition

The following section presents six key recommendations to accelerate the sustainable food systems transformation in Greece.

Simplify bureaucracy and regulatory procedures
→ Reduce administrative burden for food
innovation

Improve access to finance for small-scale actors
→ Tailor funding and microfinancing for SMEs and
small farmers

Strengthen coordination across governance levels
→ Support a better alignment between EU,
national, and regional policies

Support intermediaries and collaborative
platforms
→ Establish living labs and stakeholder networks
to link key actors

Invest in skills development and capacity building
→ Provide training in digital agriculture and
sustainable practices

Scale digital and climate-smart solutions
→ Join demonstration projects and peer learning
initiatives for technology uptake