With the aim of strengthening the agricultural sector and addressing the key challenges affecting local production and the island’s economy, the Kythera Smart Village Lab was established within the framework of the European INSPIRE Project, with the support of the Mediterranean Institute for Nature and Anthropos (MedINA).
In Kythera, the participatory Lab “KYTHERIAN LAND – Our Land, Our Food” brings together the island’s agricultural cooperatives, farmers, agronomists, local organisations and active citizens, seeking to build a shared vision for the future of the primary sector and strengthen cooperation around local products and agri-food identity.
Through a series of participatory meetings and workshops held over the past months, several key challenges facing the island’s agricultural sector were identified, including:
- The gradual abandonment of agricultural activities and limited generational renewal among farmers;
- The absence of permanent agricultural support services and advisory mechanisms;
- The need to strengthen cooperation and develop a common agricultural narrative for the island;
- The limited visibility and promotion of local products;
- The impacts of the climate crisis, including prolonged drought periods, rising temperatures and increasing wildfire risks.
The Kythera Smart Village Lab serves as an open platform for dialogue, cooperation, knowledge exchange and the co-creation of solutions, building on the experience, ideas and active participation of people involved in or interested in the island’s agri-food sector. With the Kytherian Foundation for Culture and Development (KIPA) serving as its physical base, the Lab operates through regular meetings and workshops, where members identify shared priorities and develop actions that respond to the needs of Kythera.
The Lab’s first priorities include the development of a common agricultural narrative for Kythera, the promotion of the island’s high-quality local products and their producers through targeted visibility and outreach activities, and the exploration of new forms of cooperation and collective representation within the agricultural sector. At the same time, initiatives are being advanced to provide technical and scientific support to producers, improve product quality and added value, and strengthen connections between producers, businesses and local stakeholders.
“KYTHERIAN LAND – Our Land, Our Food” aspires to become a vibrant hub for cooperation and innovation, creating the conditions for a shared vision, collective action and a more resilient, sustainable and outward-looking agri-food system for Kythera.
INSPIRE supports social inclusion, well-being, and rural development through Smart Village Labs, which aim to establish more inclusive governance frameworks. INSPIRE is funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Research Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
