DS2 at the Congress for Sustainable and Viable Agriculture 2026

The Congress for Sustainable and Viable Agriculture, held on January 29th, 2026, at the JOIST Innovation Park in Larisa, Greece, is a regional flagship event focused on fostering sustainable farming practices, innovation, and resilience. Organized by ELGO Dimitra and the University of Thessaly's NITLab, under the auspices of the Ministry of Rural Development, the congress brought together scientists, researchers, producers, and agricultural professionals around the theme "Innovation, Resilience, and Prospects". The event featured four specialized panels covering innovative applications in agriculture and climate change, innovative crops, legumes in crop rotation, and sustainable production systems.

The University of Thessaly (UTH), represented by Dr. Stelios Vasilopoulos, and CROWNEST SA, represented by Giannis Moutsinas, aimed at disseminating DS2 project developments in precision agriculture, showcasing data space interoperability applications for climate-smart agriculture, engaging regional stakeholders, and collecting feedback to adapt future deployment strategies. Both participated as speakers in Panel 1 (Innovative Applications in Agriculture and Climate Change), presenting the role of digital technologies spaces in addressing climate change, data-driven precision agriculture, and real-world case studies from the AgroNIT testbed.

Participation in the congress substantially boosted the visibility of DS2 solutions within Thessaly’s agricultural community, especially as the event’s emphasis on sustainable agriculture aligned closely with DS2’s mission of promoting data‑driven, resource‑efficient farming. Through the panel contributions of Dr. Vasilopoulos and Mr. Moutsinas, UTH and CROWNEST were positioned as leading voices in digital agriculture, climate adaptation, and sustainable farming systems, sparking strong interest in data‑space applications for climate‑resilient agriculture. Attendees also offered practical feedback, highlighting the importance of intuitive, accessible interfaces, Greek language support, mobile‑friendly tools, and features such as soil‑health monitoring and weather‑based advisory services. In addition, the event created new partnership opportunities with ELGO Dimitra, NITLab, agricultural cooperatives, and sponsors including FOODOXYS and ALFASEEDS, paving the way for integrating DS2 components into national research initiatives and pilot‑testing precision agriculture technologies.

Overall, the Congress for Sustainable and Viable Agriculture 2026 provided an excellent platform for engaging Thessaly's agricultural stakeholders in the DS2 ecosystem. The participation of CROWNEST SA and the University of Thessaly strengthened the project's credibility and visibility, successfully positioning DS2 as a key enabler of sustainable, resilient, and economically viable agriculture through secure and interoperable data sharing.