The regional event “Digital Technologies in Sustainable Food Systems” was recently organized in Skopje, North Macedonia, through a collaboration between Ag Futura Technologies and the Green Growth Platform.

This gathering brought together a diverse array of stakeholders, including policymakers, public institutions, academia (universities, faculties, and institutes), technology providers, food companies, consultants, farmers, NGOs, donors, and EU projects. The primary focus was to deliberate on essential aspects of sustainability and circularity in agriculture and the food industry, highlighting the challenges and opportunities associated with digital transformation and the utilization of smart technologies in these sectors.

Participation from Carbonica project representatives, namely Prof. George Zalidis from i-BEC (Greece), Prof. Verica Ilieva from UGD, and Blagoja Mukanov from AGFT (North Macedonia), marked Round Table 1, which centered on the “Readiness of the agri-food sector in the Balkan region to support technological (digital) transition for sustainability.” The discussion was skillfully moderated by Prof. Biljana Balabamova from UGD.

Round Table 2, themed “Transforming the Agri-Food Systems – EU vs Balkan (Multi-stakeholder perception and approach)”, was guided by Prof. Emilija Arsov, Dean at the Faculty of Agriculture, UGD (North Macedonia). This session featured guest speakers from Croatia, Slovenia, and North Macedonia sharing their insights.

Furthermore, project Carbonica took center stage during the Synergy hour dedicated to EU projects.