Alex Koutsouris

In the last few decades, within the rhetoric of the “information age”, there is a growing enthusiasm for the (potential) benefits of the dissemination of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). This is further enhanced through eGovernment projects undertaken on a ...

In the last few decades, within the rhetoric of the “information age”, there is a growing enthusiasm for the (potential) benefits of the dissemination of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). This is further enhanced through eGovernment projects undertaken on a ...

Since its establishment in the early 1950s, the Greek Extension Service has undergone considerable changes. Especially after 1981, a bureaucratic–administrative role related to the implementation of the CAP has been undertaken. In parallel, in the international scene, governments have started experimenting with various cost-recovery mechanisms for extension. In front of such challenges, at both national and international levels, the current

In response to the need for a better empirical understanding of the multiple factors that drive the demand of wine tourism, this paper serves a twofold objective: first, to test the distinctiveness of motivations for visiting a wine region along with a winery; and secondly, to explore whether geographical distance between tourists' place of origin and the wine region can add to the ability of other wine consumer/tourist variables (product involvement; product knowledge; wine tourist identity; past experience) to predict specific aspects of wine tourist behavior. In doing so, quantitative survey data were collected from 381 visitors of twelve wineries located in Northern Greece. Results from Principal Component and Multiple Hierarchical Regression Analyses indicate that travel distance predicts wine purchasing at the cellar door as well as the motivational factors associated with 'Socialization' and 'Destination attractiveness'. Further, the study proposes a conceptual framework for wine tourism motivation.

Over the last decades, wine tourism has emerged as a vehicle for a transition from mostly​ agrarian to diversified rural economies, offering a rich set of opportunities at both an ​entrepreneurial​ and a community​ level. In the Greek case, ​this particular form of special interest​ tourism has been mainly reinforced by ​'​strategic alliances'​ and ​collective initiatives that led to the development of regional networks ​and ​wine routes. Despite the positive​ steps already taken​, the symbiotic relationship between the wine and the tourism industry is constantly facing inter-linked and often reinforcing challenges that threaten the performance of such ventures. The recent financial meltdown of 2008 triggered the most significant global economic crisis since the Great Depression, with neither viticulture nor tourism escaping the impacts of 'Neoliberal Capitalism'​.

In the light of the current situation of increasing uncertainty, the sustainability of wine tourism, viewed as a complex Socio-Ecological System, is being put into question. Thus, a deeper understanding of the sector's capacity to deal with disturbance and change is deemed necessary. The present study adopts the theoretical concept of Resilience, in order to explore the ability of wine tourism to respond effectively to external stresses and confront various​ shocks. Qualitative data will be gathered by means of in-depth interviews with key stakeholders and national experts​ across the country, in an effort to outline the constellation of ​threats ​('Resilience of what to what?') ​that affect the performance ​and transformation ​of ​the ​wine tourism sector and the rural areas in general​.

This article critically assesses the potential of information and communication technologies (ICTs) as agricultural extension tools. Specifically, the purpose of the current piece of work is to identify the extent of the use of ICTs on farms, look into farmers' characteristics as related to ICTs' adoption and explore farmers' preferred extension delivery techniques. Data were collected through a large-scale survey addressing farmers in the West Macedonia region, Greece. Data were analyzed by employing both descriptive statistics and multivariate techniques. Two-step cluster analysis was used to explore the different levels of ICTs' adoption and a categorical regression model was estimated to explain this variation. In the first place, three distinct farmers' profiles are identified. Besides, it is shown that regardless of the level of communication sophistication, farmers desire a wide range of information delivery channels, particularly on farm demonstrations and farmer involvement in applied research. Results indicate that ICTs may supplement rather than replace traditional extension methods as well as that, new roles for extension agents may emerge specifically addressing farmers' needs vis-à-vis IT. The contribution of this paper concerns the relationship of the use and adoption of ICTs on the part of farmers with ‘traditional’ extension methods as well as policy proposals for bridging the emerging digital divide within the farming community.

Gender issues and masculinity in particular have increasingly drawn the attention of scholars in the last decade. Nevertheless, given the well-established phenomenon of young rural women's rejection of framers and exodus from rural areas, scant attention is paid to the issue of rural marriage markets. This article aims to address the topic of young farmers' perceptions and practices in their search for a bride. The target population was young males who joined the ‘Young Farmers’ programme in two tobacco producing communities in Greece. Utilising Bourdieu's oeuvre (especially ‘habitus’), we argue that young male farmers do not seem able to reflect on their current position in the local marriage market and, in general, challenge dominant structures owing to themselves being ‘trapped’ in the tobacco production habitus (including dominant masculinity). While consciousness-raising and change seem difficult the implications of the current crisis (including social suffering and disorders) are not yet plainly manifested.

PREFACE

Distinguished Colleagues,
The ESEE is a biennial event that is organized in rotation by European countries for training and research in the purpose of communication for agricultural and rural extension. The first seminar was organized in Finland 40 years ago. This year, the 21st ESEE took place between September 2 to 6, 2013 in Antalya, Turkey.
As it known the story of ESEE starts in Helsinki. ESEEs have also a substantial history and tradition which began in Helsinki, Finland, in 1973.  The success of the first venture in 1973 led to a decision to meet again after two years in a different venue within Europe for broadly, the same purposes, and this practice has been continued.  In a way, the use of European experience and expertise in other parts of the world has become an associated issue with implications for the ESEEs.
The main purpose of this seminar traditionally is to share the ideas and practices of the participants on participatory approach to agricultural extension works. As usual this year, we will see and list to the best practice in extension between public and private extension services around the world starting from Europe. We have the possibilities to discuss and argue and to adopt them in other countries, and to meet good friends during years. During these passed years we are the Extension Educators, Scientists and have met all around. The issue, "train trainers to train" is the same but the world around has changed. As it known, we need food, and the farmers are still providing the material for safety foods as well as they are most responsible of security of food. We, the extension educators are finding the innovations for new and less time consuming and easier work for agriculture.
The seminar programme is added to the end of this book, as it can be seen during the seminar has implemented plenary and working group session, and parallel sessions, are part of brain storming and help all participants, to share their knowledge and experiences on extension and relevant subjects, and to organize technical and cultural tour activities.
We hope that the proceedings book will be very good reference for all participants and others who are involved in rural extension and education and 21st ESEE has been fruitful for each participant.
I would like to express our special thanks to the founders of ESEE initiative as Dr. Harri Westermarck, Dr. Maurice Rolls, Dr. Anne Van den Ban, Dr. Niels Röling, Dr. Volker Hoffmann and European and all other colleagues of who contributed to the profession and Seminar’s organizers.
Finally, my thanks go to members of the scientific and organizing committees, moderation and distinguished participants for valuable collaboration and contributions.
Sincerely yours,

Orhan Özçatalbaş, PhD.
President of 21th ESEE

Akdeniz University Faculty of Agriculture
Dept.of Agricultural Economics
Extension Science
07058 Antalya/Turkiye

Around the year 2010, the research field of “transition studies” was gaining increasing attention and was developing into a true research community with the advent of the “Sustainability Transitions Research Network” (STRN), the organisation of annual international sustainability transition (IST) conferences, and the launch of a scientific journal, named “Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions”. Concerning the topics addressed within this emerging field, the domain of agriculture was studied by only a small number scholars. This constituted an important omission given the major role this domain plays in global challenges like food provision, depletion of minerals, curbing CO2 emissions, etc.

Seeking to fill this gap, researchers from ‘Wageningen University & Research’ in the Netherlands (WUR) and the ‘Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique’ in France (INRA) took the initiative to organize a first international workshop on the topic of “System Innovation towards Sustainable Agriculture” (SISA). This first SISA workshop was held in June 2010 in Lelystad, the Netherlands, and its proceedings were published online in 2012. The INRA Science in Society unit organized the second SISA workshop in Paris from 22-23 May 2014 that was hosted by AgroParisTech. Financial support was received from INRA, IFRIS and WUR. This proceedings is a result from the second SISA workshop.