On February 18, 2024, the Festivities Hall of the “Teacher Costache Cursaru” Kindergarten in Bordeasca Veche (Obilești) hosted an exceptional event dedicated to the agricultural sector and food engineering, titled “Agrarian Economy and Rural Development, Realities and Perspectives for the Local Community”. Organized by the Sons of Obilești Association in partnership with OpenHub Creative Cluster Galați, the event brought together farmers, experts, and professionals in the field for a day full of constructive discussions, idea exchanges, and sustainable strategies.
A Day of Connection and Learning
The conference began with the arrival of guests and an art exhibition, presented by the talented Roxana Zaharia and Nitu Andra, students of the Gimnazial School No. 2 Bordeasca Veche and Gimnazial School Tâtăranu. This artistic introduction provided a vibrant and inspirational start to the ensuing discussions. This was followed by the awarding of Dr. Barbu Cursaru, who reached the venerable age of 83, the son of teacher Costache Cursaru, a prominent personality of the commune.
Technical discussions were initiated by the representative of APIA Vrancea, who addressed the challenges and opportunities in agricultural payments and interventions. Accessing European funds in agriculture was another topic of interest, with presentations by Florin Cucos, an expert in European funds, offering practical advice and directions for financing. OpenHub Creative Cluster Galați, represented by Vlad Ionuț, highlighted the role of information technology in agriculture, showing how digitalization can facilitate rural development and increase efficiency.
A special moment of the conference was dedicated to supporting businesses in the South-East Region, focusing on the services of the Enterprise Europe Network, presented by the innovation manager, Vasili Apostol. This segment emphasized the importance of support networks and collaboration between different entities for regional economic growth.
An engaging presentation on leveraging expertise in agri-food research and knowledge transfer to the private economic sector was given by engineer Mariana Voicu, an expert in food chemistry from Buzău. The focus on safe and nutritionally optimized food products highlighted the importance of innovation and applied research.
The last presentation was held by Dr. Carmen Beatrice Pauna, Institute for Economic Forecasting, Romanian Academy on the topic: Knowledge transfer between the academic environment and the economic environment – RuralBioUp Project.
After a welcome coffee break, the conference concluded with conclusion sessions, where participants could reflect on the information presented and the discussions held. The positive feedback and interest shown by participants confirmed the success of this meeting and the importance of continuing the dialogue and collaboration in the agricultural and food engineering fields.
Conclusions and Perspectives
The “Agrarian Economy and Rural Development” event was more than a conference; it was a catalyst for innovative ideas, a push for effective strategies, and a step forward for the sustainable development of local communities. Participants left with an enriched vision and new partnerships in perspective, demonstrating once again that together we can make a difference.
We look forward to the next edition and are convinced that the path we have started together will continue to be marked by significant achievements for the agricultural sector and our rural communities.
