Life @ FORESTAS with Giulia Pinna (LP)

About the Regional Forest Agency for Land and Environment of Sardinia (Fo.Re.S.T.A.S.)

Since 2016 Fo.Re.S.T.A.S. operates as the technical-operational governmental structure of the Sardinia Region for the forestry and environmental sector: an organization for the management, promotion and technical-administrative support of research and experimentation. The Agency operates in the field of forest management and forest areas insistent on terrestrial coastal ecosystems, in the management of the regional ecological network in forest areas (in agreement with other management bodies and with the municipalities involved). In addition, Fo.Re.S.T.A.S. deals with maintenance of rural areas, civil protection and fight against forest fires, but also with research, innovation, technology transfer and training.

Learning to know Giulia PINNA, Project Manager at Fo.Re.S.T.A.S.

With a higher degree in law, Giulia is a legal and procurement officer at the Department of General and Legal Affairs of the Fo.Re.S.T.A.S. Agency, Procurement unit. She had several professional experiences within different Public Administrations, among which the one at the Joint Managing Authority of the ENPI CBC Mediterranean Basin Programme having played an essential role in her educational and professional background.

Work during COVID-19 health emergency

At Fo.Re.S.T.A.S. Agency almost all employees are currently working from home, exception made for carrying out those functions that can only be carried out at the office such as the contact center, payroll processing and some activities related to the budget. In this sense, in order to avoid creating unsafe working conditions, the presence of staff at the Agency’s offices is very limited and has to be eventually authorized for necessary circumstances; even managers do alternate working hours to avoid overcrowding. Gloves and masks are provided to the staff who is obliged to go at the office. Concerning smart working, the exchange between colleagues is, despite the unusual situation, continuous and effective through e-mail, telephone and videoconference meetings.

Life @ LARI with Milad EL RIACHY (PP3)

About the Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute (LARI)

LARI is a governmental organization that supplies several services for farmers, traders and NGOs. These services include laboratory tests for imported and exported food products including olive oil, honey, milk and wine (quality, microbiological and mycotoxins); water (chemical and microbiological tests); soil; fertilizers;  and forages. Despite of the Coronavirus, these services remain available in addition to several research projects that still ongoing among which the LIVINGAGRO project.

Learning to know Dr. Milad El Riachy, LIVINGAGRO Project Manager at LARI

The LIVINGAGRO Project Manager at LARI is Dr. Milad El Riachy, specialist in olive and olive oil production from the University of Cordoba (Spain), and Head of the Department of Olive and Olive Oil at LARI since 2012. Dr. El Riachy has a wide experience on olive growing and olive oil production and quality with around 30 publications in European referred journals on the impact of agro-industrial practices on olive growing and olive oil composition.

Work during COVID-19 health emergency

Dr. El Riachy and his colleagues at LARI continue their work in rotation at the Center or work from home, while taking all the necessary precautions to avoid direct contact between each other and between farmers and other clients. In addition, Dr. El Riachy continues seeking for completing the team that will be working in the implementation of the activities of the project and keep continuous contact with the National Contact Point (NCP) and the Control Contact Point (CCP) for selecting the Audit company. Moreover, the Head accountant of LARI (Fadi Naddaf), in collaboration with the project manager, is still working on procurement issues such as resolving the VAT exemption issues and preparing the general tender conditions in order to advance in the most urgent activities related to the implementation of the project.