The first, official presentation of Terra Vita certified products at a food exhibition and more specifically at the HORECA-Gastronomy Expo 2023, which took place at the Cyprus State Fair on 10-12 November.
During the exhibition, contacts were made with many professionals of the agri-food sector in Cyprus, who showed particular interest and are expected to enrich the Terra Vita certification ecosystem as a whole.
More specifically, networking took place with representatives of small and larger food trading companies, delicatessen owners, cooks, hoteliers, restaurateurs, transport companies, farmers, livestock farmers, processors, certification bodies and consultants.
At the same time, through the first appearance of certified products, from Lemnos and Kythera in Cyprus, consumers had the opportunity to get to know and taste them. The response was enthusiastic, with many visitors seeking out points of sale on the island to purchase the products.
«The system of certification Terra Vita is an integrated proposal in the field of agri-food», as stressed by King Zafiriou, coordinator for sustainable agri-food systems at MedINA. «In our debut in Cyprus we introduced certification and certified products with the aim of developing new value chains, either by bringing these unique products to Cyprus or by opening up the prospect of certification to producers on the island.».
«The scientific work done by MedINA over the last five years has been crucial for the promotion of the products», argued the Danae Sfakianou, agronomist of Terra Graeca and Terra Vita certification manager, referring both to the creation of the certification system and the additional actions in this direction, with the registration of the local variety Barley Panagia in the national list of local varieties and the sheep of Lemnos in the list of rare indigenous breeds.
All of the above, combined with the excellent quality products of the companies Poriasi, Chrysafi and Staphyli from Lemnos and his Agricultural Cooperative of Livadi Kythera and the attractive appearance of the pavilion, contributed to the success!
The next steps in this effort are the completion of the new certification cycle and the conclusion of agreements between certified producers and professionals in Cyprus.
HORECA-Gastronomia Expo is one of the most important events for the catering and tourism industry in Cyprus. It is the largest professional B2B exhibition of agri-food products and services, which has been organised every two years since 1995 by the Cyprus Association of Chefs.
The promotion of Terra Vita certification and certified products is supported by the Ioannis S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation, in the framework of the project «Terra Graeca: Small Farm to Market».
More information and links:
The programme «Terra Graeca: Small Farm to Market» aims at the multifaceted empowerment of farmers in Lemnos and Kythera and the sustainable development of the agri-food sector of these islands. With the support of the Ioannis S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation we envision local communities thriving in productive and healthy agroecosystems full of life! More information: MedINA website
The programme «Terra Kytheria - Sustainable Agriculture in Kythera» aims to support olive growers and promote Kythera's olive oil. It is based on a cultivation and certification system, which is adapted to local methods and preserves the biodiversity and traditional agricultural landscapes of the island. The programme is implemented by the Kythira Foundation for Culture & Development (KIPA) and the Mediterranean Institute for Nature and Man (MedINA) in cooperation with the Agricultural Olive Oil Cooperative of Potamos, the Agricultural Cooperative of Livadi, and the University of the Aegean. More information: MedINA website, CFS website, Terra Lemnia website
The certification Terra Vita - Rural Tradition and Biodiversity concerns food produced in Greece using traditional agricultural management methods that benefit biodiversity and the landscape, while promoting the local identity of the regions. More information: Terra Vita website
