Month: June 2026

BIRKIRKARA, Malta – MALTESE consortium held its Final Dissemination Event on June 25, 2026, at the Malta Digital Innovation Authority – MDIA, bringing together project partners, participants and local stakeholders to present results and discuss the future of rural innovation in Malta.

Organised by PAMEA, SEMABLU and SELFHOOD, with support from AcrossLimits and collaboration with MDIA, the event focused on the main outcomes of the MALTESE project: digital tools, training and mentoring results, circular agri-business ideas, stakeholder engagement and rural-urban cooperation.

The event was opened by Dr. Eng. Daniel AMARIEI of PAMEA, MALTESE project coordinator, together with Thomas ABELA from MDIA. Maria Elena MUSCAT of AcrossLimits presented the wider PoliRuralPlus Malta pilot context and linked MALTESE to broader rural and digital innovation priorities. Then, Dr. AMARIEI presented the project’s main activities and results, showing how MALTESE combined digital innovation with capacity building, mentoring and practical support for farmers, young entrepreneurs and rural communities.

Gianluca VALENTINO of SEMABLU led the technical session, presenting a live demonstration of the MALTESE digital tools, including the JackDaw GeoAI Chatbot, Map Whiteboard, Rural-Urban E-Market and SMART irrigation-related outputs. The demonstration showed how local data, such as soil, moisture, protected-area and funding information, can support more accessible decision-making for rural users.

Dr. Krisztina TOTH of SELFHOOD presented the training and mentoring results from the Malta activities. The sessions included digital tool demonstrations, community mapping, circular economy exercises, business model development and pitching preparation.

The event also featured short presentations from the MALTESE pitching winners. MD ASANUL HOQUE RATUL presented the MD SMART ECO-POND FARM MODEL, while DORIAN BUGEJA presented GROW BOX. JUSTIN CAMILLERI, the third selected pitching winner, was unable to attend because of illness and sent his apologies. Certificates were handed over during the event.

The stakeholder round table, moderated by Dr. AMARIEI, focused on what MALTESE leaves behind for rural Malta. Participants highlighted that low interest among some farmers is linked to limited incentives, skills gaps and lack of confidence. They also stressed the need to introduce agriculture, sustainability, entrepreneurship and digital literacy from an early age.

The event concluded that MALTESE leaves behind a practical pathway for connecting local data, digital tools, training, mentoring and stakeholder dialogue. Future work should focus on local ownership, continued engagement, education, incentives and long-term use of the project results.

Keywords/tags: MALTESE, rural innovation, Malta, digital agriculture, PoliRuralPlus

Meta description: MALTESE final event in Malta presented digital tools, training results, participant pitches and next steps for rural innovation.

MALTESE project participated in the PoliRuralPlus JackDaw Code Camp, held in Athens, Greece, from 16 to 18 June 2026.

MALTESE was represented by Dr. Eng. Daniel AMARIEI from PAMEA and Jan FORMOSA from SEMABLU. Their participation offered the project team the opportunity to engage in a highly interactive working environment, exchange knowledge with technical partners and other participants, and contribute to discussions on the further development of digital tools and pilot-oriented solutions.

The Athens Code Camp focused on the PoliRuralPlus digital ecosystem, with particular attention to the JackDaw GeoLLM platform, data integration, RAG and GeoRAG workflows, and support for pilot applications. The event created a practical setting where participants could work together, explore technical options, and identify improvements for ongoing project developments.

For the MALTESE project, the event represented a valuable opportunity to present and further reflect on the developed prototype, while identifying possible improvements for its next stages of development. The collaborative format allowed the project representatives to gather input, discuss technical needs, and strengthen the alignment of the prototype with relevant digital innovation approaches.Participation in the Athens Code Camp marks an important step in MALTESE’s ongoing work to develop practical and user-oriented solutions. Further updates will follow with more detailed information on the project’s contribution, lessons learned, and the improvements identified during the event.

PAMEA participated in The 7th China-Central and Eastern European Countries Local Leaders’ Meetingand the 2026 Shandong International Friendship Cities Cooperation and Exchange Week, held in Jinan, Shandong Province, China.

The event brought together representatives of local authorities, universities, research institutions, companies, and international organisations from China and Central and Eastern European countries. The programme included conferences, institutional meetings, networking sessions, and exchanges focused on cooperation, innovation, education, agriculture, sustainability, and regional development.

PAMEA was represented by Dr.Eng. Amariei Daniel-Dumitru, Secretary-General of the organisation. During the event, PAMEA contributed not only on behalf of the organisation itself, also as a representative of the AGRITECH project, promoting its objectives, cooperation potential, and relevance for innovation in agriculture, education, and digital transformation.

A major achievement of the visit was the election of PAMEA as a Council Member of the China-CEEC Modern Agricultural Science and Education Innovation Alliance. This recognition confirms PAMEA’s growing role in international cooperation and strengthens its position within a wider network of institutions active in agricultural innovation, education, sustainability, and knowledge exchange.

Through this participation, PAMEA expanded its international visibility, strengthened institutional links with Chinese and Central and Eastern European partners, and opened new opportunities for future cooperation connected to the AGRITECH project and broader areas of strategic interest.

PAMEA warmly thanks the organisers, hosts, and partner institutions for their excellent coordination, generous hospitality, and commitment to building practical cooperation between China and Central and Eastern Europe.

More information and photos from the event are available here:
https://live.photoplus.cn/live/pc/38729274/#/live