COMPLETE/Competitive Livestock Entrepreneurship and Health Protection for Sustainable Rural Economic Development
- The Managing Authority of European Territorial Cooperation Programmes of the Ministry of Economy, Development, and Tourism in Thessaloniki, Greece
26/03/2018 - 28/05/2020
Overall Objective
The goal of the project is to support entrepreneurship and enhance the competitiveness of the farming industry through applied innovations in animal health care and livestock entrepreneurship.
Summary of the Project
Livestock is an important and integral component of the Balkan agricultural system and is among the main pillars of the local economy in the cross-border area. Infectious diseases are one of the most serious problems for livestock, causing reduced productivity and welfare, and necessitating heavy drug use. Frequent, indiscriminate or inappropriate use of drugs to control these pathogens has resulted in drug-resistant pathogen populations. Resistance is now widespread in all the major pathogens of sheep and is an emerging problem for cattle parasites. It was therefore time for cross-border coordination and efforts to ensure the sustainability of the ruminant farming industry and to improve its competitiveness.
Activities
- An assessment protocol that will be applied in both countries including entrepreneurship profiles of animal husbandry for the eligible cross-border areas; assessment of production-limiting diseases in Greece and Albania, mapping the spatial distribution of diseases and the impacts on competitiveness
- Development of decision-making models in the area of green animal health care and smart vet programmes for better livestock health and productivity
- Operational training for veterinarians and farmers on livestock smart health care
- Entrepreneurial capacity building for livestock raising SMEs
- Mobilisation of a transnational cluster of livestock health care and farming innovation
- Creation of a one-stop-shop of livestock entrepreneurship and competitiveness (e-decision support and e-training)
- Creation of a cross-border network for livestock entrepreneurship and exchange of know-how
- Creation of a roadmap for promoting sustainable animal health care and husbandry in rural development strategies and policies of Greece and Albania
Expected Results
- An increased ability of entrepreneurs to address challenges in the establishment and operation of a livestock enterprise in the cross-border area
- On-site support and improved practical knowledge and skills of veterinarian tools application for 60 livestock SMEs and 50 veterinarians
- Improved business development and management skills for more than 60 livestock entrepreneurs
- Solutions provided to the challenges faced by livestock enterprises and potential entrepreneurs through web applications and active communication
- Strengthened cooperation between SMEs and research institutions for the establishment of solid cooperation schemes (1 cluster and 1 network) and the introduction of innovative production processes (vet-tools)
- Mobilisation of regional policy mechanisms towards the support of livestock SMEs
