SWG RRD participated in the “Digital Transformation & Digital Europe Opportunities Info Day” in Skopje, contributing to the panel discussion “Connecting Innovation to Opportunity: EDIHs, AI Antenna and the Digital Europe Programme.”
The event, connected to the EU Digital Europe Programme and the EU4Digital initiative implemented by GIZ, focused on supporting the digital transition of the Western Balkans and strengthening the region’s integration into the EU Digital Single Market.
During the discussion, SWG RRD shared its experience from the REVIVE project and the development of the Rural Hive Hub platform, created through the Interreg Euro-MED Programme to support local beekeepers, producers and rural communities in the Northeast Region of North Macedonia.
A key example presented was the cooperation between SWG RRD and INNOFEIT EDIH within REVIVE. SWG RRD mobilised the local community around the Rural Hive Hub and facilitated cooperation between the REVIVE ICC in North Macedonia, the digital innovation hub and relevant stakeholders, including the Food and Veterinary Agency of North Macedonia.
Based on the needs of the local beekeeping community and relevant institutions, INNOFEIT EDIH developed an innovative meteo/telemetry station for monitoring bee colonies, planned for integration into the Rural Hive Hub platform. The solution adds value by introducing real-time field data, advanced monitoring and smart decision-making tools for the beekeeping sector.
This example highlights the importance of synergies between initiatives, programmes and projects — linking Interreg Euro-MED, REVIVE, the European Digital Innovation Hub ecosystem, EU4Digital, GIZ-supported regional cooperation and the EU Digital Europe Programme.
It also demonstrates how project results can be further upgraded through the “test before invest” approach, technical expertise, testing, training, skills development and innovation ecosystem cooperation, while connecting local rural needs with the broader digital transformation agenda of the Western Balkans.
