On Mesogeios FM 105.4, Professor Panagiotis Trivellas, Director of the ORIMAS Lab at the Agricultural University of Athens, discussed the complex nexus between food security and climate change
In a period defined by profound environmental uncertainty and geopolitical turbulence, the conversation about food security has become more than an academic debate it is a matter of collective survival. On Wednesday, December 11, 2024, Professor Panagiotis Trivellas, Director of the Operational Research and Innovation Management Systems (ORIMAS) Laboratory at the Agricultural University of Athens (AUA), joined the live radio program of Mesogeios FM 105.4 to unpack the scientific and societal dimensions of this urgent issue.
Speaking as scientific director of the Thalla project, Professor Trivellas explored how modern agriculture must adapt to the accelerating pace of climate change. He emphasized that the agri-food chain from production to distribution faces multiple, interlinked pressures: shifting weather patterns, water scarcity, volatile markets, and a growing need for sustainable governance. “Food security,” he noted, “is no longer guaranteed by productivity alone, but by resilience the capacity of systems to adapt, recover, and evolve.”
At the heart of the discussion was the transformative concept of Living Labs collaborative innovation ecosystems where farmers, scientists, policymakers, and consumers co-design and test solutions in real conditions. Through these participatory structures, Professor Trivellas explained, “societies can translate scientific knowledge into actionable policy, bridging the gap between research and implementation.” The Thalla project, supported by European initiatives on sustainable food systems, serves precisely this function: it fosters co-creation, knowledge transfer, and public awareness, ensuring that innovation remains anchored in local realities while addressing global challenges.
The radio conversation underscored how projects like Thalla extend beyond academic research. They represent a new model of public engagement, where complex scientific ideas are made accessible to citizens, policymakers, and producers alike. In this framework, communication becomes a pillar of resilience shaping not only what societies know, but how they respond to the challenges ahead.
As Professor Trivellas concluded, ensuring food security in a changing climate requires not only technology and policy but also a shared sense of responsibility. “Our ability to feed ourselves,” he suggested, “depends on our capacity to learn together.”