The General Assembly of the MACC (Mediterranean Centre of Agri-Food Capabilities) was successfully held on Wednesday evening at the premises of the Technical Schools of the Heraklion Chamber of Commerce.
It is recalled that the MACC, in which 48 companies, institutions and bodies of Crete participate, aims to enhance competitiveness in the agri-food sector through the use of modern technologies and support and certification services.
At the same time, it helps to encourage the development of new agri-food business activities in Crete, and not only, by implementing innovative business plans based on knowledge from research laboratories and technological-scientific institutions.
As pointed out at the meeting, which was chaired by Mr. Manolis Koudoumas, representative of the Hellenic Mediterranean University, MACC continues to be at the forefront of the development of innovative products and services, with a strong emphasis on sustainable food and smart farming techniques.
At the core of its offer is the innovative use of agricultural by-products and modern technology. These include the production of fertiliser in pellet form from sheep wool and the development of new types of bio-stimulants.
Aiming to be a leader in the field of smart agriculture, MACC is gradually building an extensive network of infrastructure to support this sector. He has also designed an experimental farm to test the effectiveness of various pesticide compounds and sensors.
Further, it supports food companies and has developed a range of sustainable products such as biodegradable supermarket shopping bags, a Legionella detection device and frozen cake batter.
It is also involved in the production of calcium saponate from olive oil for animal feed and photo-selective covers for greenhouses.
The Mediterranean Agri-Food Competence Centre still offers training services in smart farming systems and continues to host and participate in various conferences and events.