Dr. Kiki Zinoviadou, Dean of Perrotis College, emphasized during her address at the 12th GAIA CONGRESS that agricultural technology is no longer a future prospect, but a reality already integrated across all educational programs of the American Farm School. Her remarks set the tone for the third thematic session titled: “How Technology is Shaping a More Sustainable and Competitive Agriculture.”

Dr. Zinoviadou highlighted how digital transformation has already reshaped the content, methodology, and philosophy of agricultural education, preparing the next generation of professionals for a primary sector that increasingly demands advanced expertise and data management skills. She underlined that the American Farm School operates as a “living laboratory” of innovation, where students are trained under real-world conditions using technologies already applied in the market, including precision agriculture systems, crop monitoring sensors, digital data management platforms, and decision-support tools.

As she noted, the integration of technology is not limited to individual courses, but extends horizontally across all academic programs — from fundamental sciences to applied practices within the agri-food sector.

The panel also featured Perrotis College alumnus Konstantinos Oroilidis, OEM Key Account Manager – EMEA, CNH, who shared insights on the role that modern precision agriculture technologies can play in the transition toward a more sustainable and competitive Greek agricultural sector through the experience and solutions developed by CNH.

In his presentation, Oroilidis emphasized that technology alone is not enough to achieve this transition. While advanced solutions already exist and continue to evolve rapidly, the real challenge lies in creating the right conditions for these technologies to be effectively adopted and utilized within the primary sector.

He highlighted three key pillars that he considers critical for the future of Greek agriculture: education, infrastructure, and collaboration.

According to Oroilidis, education is essential in enabling producers to fully leverage the capabilities of precision agriculture. At the same time, infrastructure — both in terms of connectivity and technological support — forms the foundation upon which the digital transformation of agriculture can develop. He also stressed the importance of collaboration, particularly in a country characterized by small and fragmented agricultural holdings, as it enables economies of scale and facilitates access to advanced technological solutions.

The panel further highlighted the opportunities created by precision agriculture systems and European Digital Innovation Hubs, confirming that the adoption of new technologies is essential for ensuring the sustainability and competitiveness of Greek agriculture.

The conference, organized within the framework of the CAP4Youth program, concluded with a shared understanding that the future of the primary sector depends on continuous investment in knowledge, innovation, technology, and specialized human capital. The discussions emphasized that meaningful digital transformation in agriculture requires not only advanced technological solutions, but also strong educational foundations, modern infrastructure, and collaborative ecosystems capable of supporting long-term sustainable development.