Protocol of cooperation for the reinforcement of the Program on Food Aid and Promotion of Healthy Nutrition-DIATROFI
A protocol of cooperation for the reinforcement of the Program on Food Aid and Promotion of Healthy Nutrition - DIATROFI in schools of Greece was signed today, December 21, 2015 between Mr. Nikos Filis, Minister of Education, Research and Religious Affairs, Mr. Markos Bolaris, Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Food, Mr. Athanasios Vasilekas, President of the Holstein Association of Greece, Mr. Elias Veliotis on behalf of MEVGAL S.A. and Prof. Dimitris Linos on behalf of Prolepsis Institute.
Mr. Bolaris welcomed the initiative of Greek dairy producers and livestock farmers from Macedonia and Thrace, supported by the Ministry of Rural Development and Food in their efforts for quality production of fresh milk.
Dairy producers are donating 100 tones of fresh milk to be distributed in schools of Primary and Secondary education, supporting in this way students in the area of Western Thessaloniki. This region is greatly affected by the crisis and has high rates of unemployment, especially after the closure of several industrial units.
The milk donated will be packaged free of charge by the Macedonian Milk Industry (MEVGAL) which is offering 312.000 bottles. The distribution will be carried out by Prolepsis Institute, under the Program DIATROFI. The initial offer by the dairy producers-livestock farmers, MEVGAL and Prolepsis Institute is estimated to be €119.000.
This donation is doubled by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, grant donor of the DIATROFI program since 2012, bringing a total of €238.000.
This action results in adding another 25 schools to the Program which have already submitted an application form to participate; this means that 2.358 more students will benefit for the school year 2015-2016.
Prolepsis Institute implements the Program DIATROFI and has made the selection of schools based on validated research conducted by the Institute.
Further information can be found here:
http://www.minagric.gr/index.php/el/the-ministry-2/grafeiotypou/deltiatypou/3150-dt211215