Thessaloniki, Greece | June 17–19, 2025
With just six months left until the end of the EFRA project, the consortium gathered in Thessaloniki for its 5th Plenary Meeting — a key checkpoint to align, reflect, and plan ahead. Hosted by Rainno and coordinated by Agroknow, the three-day meeting brought together EFRA partners for structured discussions, hands-on planning, and collaborative breakout sessions.
Day 1: Progress, Pilots, and Strategic Direction
The plenary kicked off with an overview of EFRA’s goals, expected outcomes, and progress of the last 6 months. The session also revisited mid-term review recommendations and what needs to be achieved before the final review.
Work Package leaders shared updates on milestones, results, and KPIs, offering insight into progress made since the Athens meeting in November.
A dedicated session was devoted to presenting and discussing the pilot software demonstrators for all three EFRA use cases:
- Use Case 1: Predictive tools for poultry pathogens and mycotoxins (Moy Park- Pligrim’s)
- Use Case 2: AI-powered pest forecasting and observation systems (AGRIVI)
- Use Case 3: Regulatory intelligence tools for automated summarisation and smart navigation (SGS Digicomply)
The day concluded with a focused discussion on EFRA’s Dissemination & Communication strategy.
Day 2: Deep-Dive Planning and Roadmapping
Day 2 opened with a focused session on where the project stands today and what needs to be delivered between now and December 2025. The morning continued with in-depth presentations on key components of the EFRA Platform:
- Integration of predictive AI models and the Data Hub
- Platform infrastructure and greener energy optimisation
- The federated learning framework
This was followed by a session on the EFRA Marketplace, with discussion around implementation, integration and progress on key metrics. The afternoon focused on how teams will work over the next three months. WP leaders defined their short-term objectives and deliverables, while two parallel breakout sessions explored:
- Software piloting plans and remaining pilot deliverables
- Technical integration and visualisation challenges for the EFRA Platform
The outputs from these groups were consolidated into a joint technology and piloting roadmap, forming the basis for the final implementation phase. The day ended with sessions on business models for the EFRA tools and platform, project management planning, and internal routines for the final reporting period, followed by a wrap-up session and a city walk — a relaxed moment of connection offered by the hosts.
Parallel Podcast Sessions: Capturing EFRA Voices
Throughout Days 1 and 2, podcast recordings were organised and hosted by Rainno, EFRA’s leader for Communication & Dissemination. These sessions brought together consortium members from both the technical and business sides of the project.
Participants shared insights on EFRA’s AI models, data infrastructure, platform development, and market strategy — offering a behind-the-scenes look at the innovation, collaboration, and vision driving the project.
The episodes will be released as a video series on YouTube and audio-only on Spotify, with the first episode expected in summer of 2025, supporting EFRA’s ongoing communication efforts, translating complex topics into accessible, engaging content for wider audiences.
Day 3: Spotlight on AI for Food Risk Prevention
The final day of the plenary was dedicated to the open-to-public EFRA workshop “AI for Food Risk Prevention,” co-organised by ATECluster (AgroTech Export Cluster), Agroknow, and Rainno, and supported by the STELAR, and HOLiFOOD projects.
The workshop opened with a joint welcome and introduction to the goals of the session, followed by project pitches from all three initiatives. These presentations highlighted different approaches to applying AI for safer food systems — from predictive models to regulatory decision support.
A keynote talk by Agroknow provided an overview of AI’s role in enhancing risk detection, assessment, and mitigation across the supply chain. This was followed by two innovation case studies:
- AGRIVI presented how AI is used to forecast pest outbreaks, reduce pesticide use, and support sustainable agriculture.
- Agroknow showcased AI-powered tools for predicting mycotoxin contamination in peanuts, underlining the role of data modelling in food safety compliance.
A hands-on session allowed participants to engage directly with EFRA’s AI tools, testing forecasting features and exploring real-world scenarios for food risk management.
The workshop concluded with reflections, feedback, and a forward-looking discussion on collaboration and uptake of AI in food risk prevention.
Closing Remarks
As EFRA enters its final phase, the Thessaloniki plenary served as a productive and energising moment. With all partners aligned and clear roadmaps in place, the consortium is ready to move from development to delivery.
Thank you to all EFRA partners who joined in person and online. Special thanks to Rainno for the warm hospitality and to Agroknow for organising a seamless and forward-focused event.
Let’s make the most of these final months — and finish strong.
