Agricultural Policy and Cooperatives

The Laboratory of Agricultural Policy and Cooperatives of the Department of Agricultural Development of the Democritus University of Thrace operates as an academic and research unit with the object of analyzing, documenting and disseminating knowledge in the fields of agricultural policy, rural economy and cooperative organization. The operation of the Laboratory is governed by the current institutional framework concerning university laboratories, as well as by the Regulation of Operation of the Democritus University of Thrace (Decision No. 36/114/13-6-2024, Government Gazette B' 4751/20-8-2024). The Laboratory operates without an independent logistical infrastructure or administrative staff, relying exclusively on the academic work of the faculty members who staff it

Laboratory Details

Laboratory Title: Agricultural Policy and Cooperatives

Faculty: Faculty of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences

School: Agricultural Development

Email: chkarel@agro.duth.gr

Telephone: 2552041110

Website:

Official Gazette of Establishment:

Introduction - Presentation

The Laboratory of Agricultural Policy and Cooperatives of the Department of Agricultural Development of the Democritus University of Thrace operates as an academic and research unit with the object of analyzing, documenting and disseminating knowledge in the fields of agricultural policy, rural economy and cooperative organization. The operation of the Laboratory is governed by the current institutional framework concerning university laboratories, as well as by the Regulation of Operation of the Democritus University of Thrace (Decision No. 36/114/13-6-2024, Government Gazette B' 4751/20-8-2024). The Laboratory operates without an independent logistical infrastructure or administrative staff, relying exclusively on the academic work of the faculty members who staff it

Field of Research

The Laboratory is mainly active in subjects related to: α. the agricultural policy and the Common Agricultural Policy, the tools for their implementation and evaluation, β. rural and regional development, sustainability and resilience of agri-food systems; γ. agricultural cooperatives, producer organisations and other collective forms of organisation, δ. agri-food businesses and value chains, with a focus on structure, governance, competitiveness and added value creation; ε. the interconnection of public policies, business strategies and local development in the agri-food sector.

Laboratory Members

Name	Position/Capacity	Email	Telephone
Christos Karelakis	Director/Professor	chkarel@agro.duth.gr	2552041110

Featured Research Programs

Programme Title	Duration	Funding
Sustainable food chains through public policies: the cases of the EU quality policy and of public sector food procurement – STRENGTH2FOOD	5	FP7
Καινοτόμα Εργαλεία Για Την Καταπολέμηση Εχθρών Και Ασθενειών Σημαντικών Καλλιεργειών Της Μεσογείου – INTOMED	3	ΓΓΕΤ
Σχέδιο Ενίσχυσης Της Ανταγωνιστικότητας Πρωτογενούς Τομέα Στην ΠΑΜΘ, Βελτίωση Μεθόδων Παραγωγής Και Ανάπτυξη Καινοτόμων Εργαλείων Προώθησης Και Εμπορίας Προϊόντων Αγροτικής Προέλευσης	3	ΑΜΘ

Featured Publications

Chronological Order	APP	doi
Karelakis C., Loizou E., Chatzitheodoridis F., K. Mattas (2020) Assessing policy impacts on the economy of European insular rural regions: the case of the smaller Aegean islands programme, European Planning Studies Volume 28, Issue 9, Pages 1771 - 17891		https://doi.org/10.1080/09654313.2019.1687655
Vachanelidou O., Karelakis C., Loizou E., Zafeiriou E. (2024). Relationships and Interdependencies of the Agri-Food Sector in a Regional Economy: Employing an Input-Output Model, Journal Of International Food & Agribusiness Marketing		https://doi.org/10.1080/08974438.2023.2281327.
Papanikolaou, Z.; Karelakis, C. A Path Analysis of Behavioral Drivers of Household Food Waste in Greece. Agriculture 2025, 15, 2481		https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15232481