"IDEAS" is a project of the INTEREG IPA Cross-Border Cooperation Program "Greece - North Macedonia, for the program period 2014 - 2020", financed by the European Union and the national funds of the participating countries, and implemented by the Foundation for Local Development and Development of Information Technologies - Gevgelija, in partnership with the American Agricultural School - Perotis College from Thessaloniki, Greece and the Rural Development Network of North Macedonia from Skopje.
The project seeks to promote entrepreneurship in agriculture in order to create new, sustainable agribusinesses
The goal of the project is to identify, support and start new businesses in the agri-food sector, which have innovation potential and can become multipliers that take advantage of the region's advantages and potentials.
IDEAS focuses on smart agriculture and the production of quality and safe food.
The project also provides support for the development of one's own business idea in the agricultural and food sector. For this purpose, a call for participation in the project and registration of innovative ideas in the agricultural and food sector has been published. 4 info sessions were conducted in Gevgelija, Valandovo, Bogdanci and Strumica in order for the attendees to familiarize themselves with the goals of the project and to register for the call for innovative ideas in the agricultural and food sector.
Trainings on EU regulations for health and food safety, HACCP and ISO 22000 management systems through the "IDEAS" project - Within the framework of the planned activities to achieve the project goals, the Network for Rural Development of North Macedonia also conducted training on the topic " EU regulations on health and food safety, HACCP and ISO 22000 management systems”. The three-day training was conducted in the period from July 3 to 5, 2023. The aim of the training was to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of food health and safety, EU regulations relating to food safety, HACCP principles, the ISO 22 000 standard and the implementation of effective food safety management systems. The training included presentations, practical exercises and interactive discussions.
During the training, the participants had the opportunity to visit the Mabi Trade facility in Strumica, a renowned canning factory that markets its entire production on the European markets. This visit allowed the participants to gain experience on how the HACCP system is implemented. By witnessing the practical application of HACCP principles in operation, participants gained valuable insights into how effective food safety measures can be integrated into daily work, further enhancing their understanding and importance of HACCP implementation.
Organization of trainings for strategic financial management, marketing and promotion, management of resources and inventory, monitoring and analysis, through the "IDEAS" project - These trainings cover topics such as strategic and financial management, marketing and promotion, management of resources and inventory, monitoring, analysis and writing reports, which took place in Dojran from October 12 to 14 and from October 19 to 21, 2023. The aim of the training is to provide the participants with skills that will help young entrepreneurs in the agricultural sector, upgrade their knowledge and start their own business.