11 Νοέ Digitalisation for sustainable wood mobilization in Greece
The general feel for sustainable wood mobilization, in Greece, is that there is considerable space for building on opportunities currently untapped. For instance, up until now there is scarcity of efficient and most importantly, flexible financial tools. When we say flexible, we refer to the ability to support public and most importantly private entities to invest. To invest, without distractions from external factors, such as the ups and downs of other markets or value chains, for instance the financial market, or internal inefficiencies, such as lack of stable funding schemes unaffected by bureaucratic processes or changes in the general socio-economic and political status. These factors have led businesses, mainly, to place new investments very low in their priority list.
Nevertheless, despite difficulties, new developments, like the increasing need for biomass and existing factors like availability of skilled personnel, seem to provide new incentives. This is already apparent in the number of small SMEs that produce biomass, especially for heating purposes. Additionally, the economic scene seems to be gaining momentum and new initiatives for helping businesses are being under development as we speak. Overall, judging from the outcomes produced by practices already in use, it is obvious that ICT can be a driving force in the process of shaping initiatives in wood mobilization, and in the wood value chain in general.
In Greece and especially in Western Macedonia, we believe that the priorities for improving the sustainability of the wood value chain should be placed on education, research, innovation management, ICT tools and advisory services. Specifically:
Education, research and knowledge transfer
Although there is skilled workforce, there is also lack of an adequately trained workforce in terms of digital skills. This is linked to the shortage of skilled entrepreneurs, workers in the wood value chain and harvesters, and we should focus especially on the lack of cutting-edge ICT technologies that come with substantial effort but provide huge amounts of added value. This is probably a major barrier to additional wood mobilisation. This also applies to research projects and transferring knowledge from well tested practices.
Therefore, we should seek for strong institutional capacity (from universities and research centers to public authorities and SMEs), with sufficient human resources towards research and innovation in forestry. Well-educated researchers and technical staff have to develop the necessary knowledge, preferably through research projects, and translate it into recommendations for all relevant actors across the value chain.
Innovation management
Additionally, we should seek innovative measures like promoting practices that meet high environmental quality and financial viability standards and also target biomass suppliers, energy producers as well as actors from the financial sector.
Research and innovation management should expand to cover thematic fields such as genetics, biodiversity, harvesting technology, socio-economics etc.
Apply new digital solutions
Digital solutions are also needed, and we cannot stretch this one further. From monitoring factors such as weather conditions and accessibility, to effective logistics and new marketing policies, ICT is crucial for the wood value chain.
Build advisory services and tools for stakeholders
Of course, we have to make the transition to using these tools from relevant stakeholders smooth. There should be guidance on the issue of which new practices are suitable for each stakeholder. Additionally, we need advisory services that entail building and using new financial tools or providing information pertaining to finding funds to carry out operations that lack of financial resources can make difficult, especially for individual forest owners and businesses whose engagement with the wood value chain is only part-time.