On July 9th, the GEORGIA project held its first Advisory Board meeting online, marking a key milestone in its mission to revolutionize water management in agriculture. The session was hosted by Project Coordinator SYNELIXIS, with Theodore Zachariadis facilitating the discussion. Esteemed Advisory Board members Dr. Moschos Korasidis, Branislav Veljkovic, and Dimitris Tigkas brought their expertise and insights to the table.
Opening the session, Zachariadis outlined GEORGIA’s ambitious objectives:
- Achieve a 44% reduction in irrigation water use
- Enable the reuse of 10,000 cubic meters of treated wastewater over the project’s 36-month duration
- Foster collaboration between 16 partners from academia, industry, and the public sector across Europe
Following this, partners presented updates on key activities already underway:
🔹 Katerina Kantari (Agricultural University of Athens) introduced ongoing work on fact sheets about non-conventional water sources, including treated wastewater and rainwater harvesting. She underlined the importance of evaluating environmental, socio-economic, and technological challenges, and presented sustainable irrigation practices such as drip irrigation and soil moisture monitoring. A questionnaire was shared with project partners to collect further insights.
🔹 Tamara Vobruba (alchemia-nova) outlined the pilot planning phase, focusing on nature-based solutions and circular water practices across seven European pilot sites. Techniques like composting with biochar and rainwater reuse systems aim to improve soil health, reduce reliance on chemical fertilizers, and enhance overall water efficiency.
🔹 Yannis Oikonomidis (Netcompany Intrasoft) presented the Crop Digital Twin, a cutting-edge system using AI and real-time data to support precision irrigation. He also described the development of a federated deep learning model that protects data privacy while enabling cross-partner collaboration.
🔹 Dimitris Ladakis (SYNELIXIS) discussed wastewater reuse strategies and stressed the importance of compliance with EU reclaimed water quality regulations. Preliminary findings show promising potential for greenhouse gas emission reductions through recycled water use.
🔹 Finally, Georgia Michailidou (reframe.food) shared the communication and dissemination strategy, emphasizing stakeholder engagement, visibility, and the development of a go-to-market plan. Key deliverables in this area will roll out in the coming months.
This inaugural Advisory Board meeting successfully set the foundation for a productive and impactful project journey. With the collective expertise of its partners and advisors, GEORGIA is poised to lead the way in sustainable, climate-smart agricultural water management.
A big thank you to the Advisory Board members Dr. Moschos Korasidis, Branislav Veljkovic, and Dimitris Tigkas for their valuable contribution to this discussion.
