Securing the Future of Mastic Gum Trees in Greece

However, in September 2024, the region was hit by a severe storm, named Atena, which caused significant damage to the mastic-growing areas. The storm's aftermath affected the mastic growers and their ability to continue with daily activities, including the ongoing training sessions for both Local Coordinators and Mastic Growers. Consequently, the planned educational activities were temporarily halted.

Despite these challenges, we remain committed to the program’s success and are preparing to resume activities. We anticipate restarting the training sessions for Local Coordinators and Mastic Growers in December 2024. These sessions will continue into the new year, with further training planned throughout 2025. This will allow us to achieve our goals and ensure the continued dissemination of vital knowledge regarding modern cultivation and propagation techniques.

To date, up to 205 mastic producers have already been engaged, nearing the target of 300 beneficiaries.

We are eager to continue our efforts and are confident that the program will create a lasting positive impact on the mastic industry. With the ongoing collaboration of local growers, researchers, and institutions, we will continue to strengthen and shape a sustainable and resilient future for mastic cultivation on Chios.

We invite you to continue supporting this important initiative as we move forward with the next phase of training and development. Your support will help us empower more mastic growers, enhance the sustainability of the industry, and ensure a prosperous future for the cultivation of this unique national product. Together, we can make a lasting impact on the mastic sector and its future.

Securing the Future of Mastic Gum Trees in Greece is a program implemented by New Agriculture New Generation organization, in collaboration with the Chios Mastic Growers Association, and the Laboratory of Floriculture of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

Our aim is to create an extensive, local knowledge transfer and consultation network that will enhance the cooperation mindset among the mastic producers. The structure of this network does not follow the linear relationship of trainer-trainee but applies the ‘Peer to peer’ method. The program is designed to be implemented in 2 phases starting from December 2023 with the phase A. 24 mastic growers were selected as lead farmers to be trained to become "trainers", to pass on knowledge on modern cultivation and propagation techniques to the local community of mastic producers (Phase B). Their knowledge and experience are disseminated through informative events and actions in demonstrative fields. This innovative approach is implemented for the first time in Greece.

Up to date:

• In Phase A, 2 out of 6 modules have been completed, covering the fertilization and propagation of mastic trees, and 2 soft skills workshops have been implemented.
• In Phase B, more than 170 mastic gum producers from the local community have been trained by the 24 mastic growers.