Eureka! Institutional Repository

The agricultural sector is one of the most important sectors of employment in Greece, having been a key pillar of economic and social development for many years. The contribution of the agrifood sector in Greece is far greater than its contribution to the economies of European countries (Mardas & Kivrakidou, 2015). 52%. (Carabine, 2017). According to GDP 2015, it is ranked 45th largest economy in the world (World Bank Organization, 2016), while on the basis of its population size it is ranked 83rd worldwide (Worldmeters, 2016). According to the widely recognized Human Development Index (HDI), Greece ranks 29th on the list of the most developed countries in the world. The European Union supports farmers by adopting an agricultural policy called the "Common Agricultural Policy". The aim is to ensure a decent standard of living for farmers and produce quality products for consumption, with emphasis on issues such as climate change, biodiversity loss, soil quality and food safety. Greek farmers are financed both by the direct aid scheme in support of their income and by rural development program measures aimed at transforming farms, modernizing them and improving their competitiveness.