Seminar “Smart Countryside in Practice” – Earth Sustainer 2025, took place at the Meeting room of the Regional Agrarian Chamber (pavilion R3) at the České Budějovice Exhibition Center on Thursday, August 21, 2025, from 13:00 to 15:10.
Participants explored how data, digitalization, and innovation can boost rural development through concrete examples from European projects—covering Data4Food2030, PoliRuralPlus & Open Calls, Agri-Digital Growth, Agritech, and the THEROS regional e-marketplace—followed by a hands-on session with the regional digital market (registration, products, orders, logistics, labeling, promotion, and testing new functions).
Many thanks to our speakers (Radana Šašková, Petr Horák, Markéta Kollerová, Petr Uhlíř, Hana Hermannová, and Tomáš Zelený) and to all attendees for the lively discussion, feedback questionnaire, and great energy. To keep the momentum, explore the marketplace at https://trh.regionalnispeciality.cz.
Program of the seminar was as follows:
Block I — Digital tools & inspiration (13:00–14:10)
13:00–13:10 — Introduction & welcome
13:10–13:20 — Data4Food2030 – digital data in agriculture — Radana Šašková (Úhlava, ops), Petr Horák (WIRELESSINFO, zs)
13:20–13:30 — PoliRuralPlus & Open Calls – opportunities for regions — Markéta Kollerová (Plan4all, zs)
13:30–13:40 — Agri-Digital Growth – education & precision agriculture — Markéta Kollerová (Plan4all, zs)
13:40–13:50 — Agritech – new directions & benefits for farmers — Petr Uhlíř (WIRELESSINFO, zs)
13:50–14:00 — Regional e-marketplace (THEROS) – functions & involvement — Petr Horák (WIRELESSINFO, zs), Tomáš Zelený (Šumavaprodukt sro)
14:00–14:10 — Short break with refreshments
Block II — Practical: Regional digital market in practice (14:10–15:10)
Live walkthrough of https://trh.regionalnispeciality.cz with Petr Horák, Petr Uhlíř, Hana Hermannová (WIRELESSINFO, zs), and Tomáš Zelený (Šumavaprodukt sro): registration, products, orders, transport; who can participate (producers, schools, MAS, municipalities, projects); regional labeling, promotion, testing new functions; discussion on benefits for your organization/region; quick paper questionnaire.
More information about the projects presented, is provided below:
Data4Food2030 – digital data in agriculture
The Data4Food2030 project brings together more than twenty partners from twelve European countries and explores how the data economy can contribute to sustainable and fair food systems. The Czech Republic has participated through a case study in the Klatovy and Pilsen regions. The aim is to find out how interdisciplinary data can be used effectively in short food chains and how to simplify their sharing between farmers, processors and customers.
The project uses modern methods of working with data – for example, a combination of artificial intelligence with internal databases (RAG), automated collection of information from public sources and their connection into a single system. The result is a better overview of local products, the possibility of direct connections with new customers and also the support of gastronomic and experiential tourism. Data thus becomes not only an economic asset, but also a means of rural development.
👉 data4food2030.eu
Presentation to download
PoliRuralPlus & Open Calls – challenges and opportunities for regions
PoliRuralPlus is an international Horizon Europe project that connects politicians, technologies and citizens to jointly find ways to achieve sustainable rural and urban development. Thirteen European countries and nine pilot regions are involved in the project – including the Czech-Bavarian region. The Czech Republic is also actively involved in its coordination through the Czech Technical University and the Plan4all organization.
New digital tools are a great benefit, such as the PoliRuralPlus Advisor , which offers recommendations for regions based on the collected data, or the JackDaw system , which combines geospatial data with artificial intelligence. Another added value of the project is the Open Calls with a budget of €900,000, which allow municipalities, non-profit organizations, companies, schools and individuals to participate. These calls support the creation of new solutions, hackathons and technical innovations with a direct impact on regional development.
👉 poliruralplus.eu
Presentation to download
Agri-Digital Growth – education and precision agriculture
The Agri-Digital Growth project, funded by the Interreg Central Europe programme, aims to make digital technologies more accessible to farmers and food businesses. It aims to reduce the digital divide and support education that will help farmers use modern technologies effectively.
The project includes five “Living Labs” where new technologies are tested directly in practice – from precision farming in fields to viticulture. In addition, the project offers pilot courses in areas such as artificial intelligence, robotics, blockchain, data analysis or sensors in agriculture. Successful graduates receive European-recognized microcertificates, which opens the way to new professions, for example, the role of precision farming mechanizer or data specialist.
Agri-Digital Growth thus connects education, innovation and sharing of good practice – examples from other countries show how to save water in irrigation, use autonomous robots or optimize vineyard care.
👉 Agri-Digital Growth
Presentation for download
AGRITECH – new directions and benefits for farmers
The AGRITECH project is focused on transforming agricultural education through modern technologies, such as artificial intelligence, blockchain and other so-called Deep Tech solutions. The initiative supports the creation of new educational programs that connect technical knowledge with practical skills of farmers and students.
One of the main outputs of the project is the creation of a new professional profile of AgriTech Manager , which will complement the existing roles of agronomist or data analyst. AGRITECH also supports the creation of incubators at universities and training institutions, where innovative projects and business ideas are born. Students can thus engage in real challenges of contemporary agriculture and learn to solve practical problems in cooperation with farmers and technology companies.
👉 agritech-project.eu
Presentation for download
THEROS – digital marketplace for regional organic food
The THEROS project, which runs from 2023, aims to support the market for local organic food and regional brands while ensuring their protection against counterfeiting and loss of quality. Seventeen partners from six countries are involved in the solution, including Czech organizations WirelessInfo and Šumavaprodukt sro. The Czech pilot is testing quality monitoring and verification of product origin using IoT sensors, while the Regional Specialties digital marketplace , operated by Šumavaprodukt, is being developed. This e-shop connects customers directly with regional producers and operates on the principle of fresh orders – goods are ordered from producers only after orders are closed and then delivered with minimal storage. Transparency, quality and consumer trust are at the center of attention.
The project thus shows how digital technologies can help organic farming, increase the share of organic food and strengthen regional identity.
At the expert seminar “Smart Countryside in Practice”, held on 21 August 2025 during the Země živitelka agricultural fair in České Budějovice, the European project THEROS and its Czech pilot initiative – the digital marketplace Regional Specialities – were presented.
The project was introduced by representatives of WirelessInfo, z.s. – Petr Horák, Petr Uhlíř and Hana Hermannová – together with Tomáš Zelený from Šumavaprodukt s.r.o. These experts showcased how the marketplace works in practice and explained the benefits it brings to consumers, producers, and regional stakeholders.
THEROS, which has been running since 2023, involves 17 partners from six European countries. Its main aim is to support the market for local organic food and regional brands, while at the same time ensuring their protection against counterfeiting and loss of quality. The vision is to build modern tools that make it easier to verify the origin and quality of food and to strengthen consumer trust.
In the Czech Republic, the pilot activities focus on monitoring the quality of organic and certified regional products using IoT sensors, improving the transparency of e-commerce through an innovative digital marketplace model, and supporting organic farming and the growing share of organic food on the market.
The Regional Specialities marketplace, operated by Šumavaprodukt, was launched in April 2025. Since then, it has enabled customers to order a wide range of fresh regional food products in a way that significantly differs from standard online shops. Orders are collected on Monday evenings, on Tuesday the products are ordered directly from producers, who prepare and pack them in monitored boxes. On Thursday and Friday, the orders are completed and delivered – either directly by Šumavaprodukt in the Klatovy region, or by the FOFR courier service, which guarantees 24-hour delivery.
Ensuring quality during transport is a crucial part of the project. Special boxes equipped with sensors continuously monitor temperature, humidity and potential box opening during the entire journey. Customers can download a certificate showing the transport conditions of their order, which provides transparency, reassurance, and also serves as evidence in case of complaints.
The marketplace operates as an open platform. This means that not only farmers and food producers can participate, but also other actors such as regional retailers, schools, municipalities, or non-profit organizations that want to support local food systems. Registration is straightforward: a new seller creates an account, fills in basic details, and after administrator approval gains access to their seller’s dashboard. There they can add and manage products, upload photos and descriptions, set prices, indicate certifications, and track orders and sales. Customers can also register, but they do not have to – shopping is possible even without creating an account.
For customers, the main advantage is the convenience of purchasing fresh regional food in one place with the guarantee of certified quality. For producers, the marketplace offers a new sales channel without the need to invest in their own e-shop or marketing. For regions, it provides a way to promote local food systems, support producers and strengthen local economies.
All changes in orders are additionally recorded in the blockchain platform developed within THEROS, ensuring maximum transparency and preventing manipulation. This creates a reliable, trustworthy environment for both customers and producers.
The Regional Specialities digital marketplace is thus a unique example of how modern technology can be combined with the tradition and quality of regional products. It delivers fresh and verified food directly from farmers and producers to consumers’ homes, while opening new opportunities for producers to enter the online market without major investments. The THEROS project not only supports the sales of organic and regional products but also builds consumer trust and contributes to rural development.
THEROS presentation WIRELESSINFO is available for download here.
THEROS presentation for SUMAVA is available for download here.
More information and the possibility to order products can be found here: trh.regionalnispeciality.cz
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