The Development Agency of Karditsa SA (ANKA SA) is a company that, as it describes itself, “focuses on capacity-building and the empowerment of the local population, particularly disadvantaged groups, and on preventing social exclusion.” Its General Director is the electrical engineer Vangelis Sakellariou. In our concise discussion, he outlines the characteristics and mission of ANKA SA, its relationship with the organisations it collaborates with, and the resilience of the cooperative ecosystem in the region during the particularly demanding period that followed the devastating floods of “Daniel”.
What is, in brief, the profile of the Development Agency of Karditsa?
It is a development public limited company established under Law 3463/2006, in which 75% is held by local and regional authorities. The remaining 25% is held by organisations such as the Cooperative Bank of Karditsa, the Chamber of Commerce, and the local Union of Agricultural Cooperatives.
The Development Agency of Karditsa primarily serves local government and whatever represents it. In other words, it serves the social, economic, environmental and cultural interests of the region. It addresses needs that municipalities themselves face at the local level. It is, however, a technocratic, supportive mechanism that operates with greater flexibility, faster response times and, in many cases, greater effectiveness than formal institutions, whether municipalities, the regional authority or the state itself.
Do you usually approach municipalities and organisations, or do they come to you?
The relationship is reciprocal. Sometimes municipalities have specific needs and turn to us, while at other times we approach them with new proposals. I would say that the latter is the dominant trend. The Development Agency of Karditsa, like similar organisations in Greece, processes changing conditions, identifies new needs and challenges, and seeks to introduce innovative practices emerging elsewhere, whether in other regions or other countries, into the local productive and social system of Karditsa, through local authorities or other regional actors.
Based on your experience in programme management, where do you see the main opportunities, challenges and needs in the region?
The region faces significant needs, especially following the destructive impacts of storms “Ianos” and “Daniel”. We should also remember that (Ed. note: according to 2022 data), the regional unit of Karditsa ranked among the lowest in GDP per capita. Natural disasters, along with the Covid crisis, which followed the economic crisis, have left deep scars. There are pressing needs at the economic, social and environmental levels, particularly in relation to the climate crisis and its impact on both the productive system and civil society. We are confronted with a sense of pessimism, especially among young people. Many believe they need to leave for other cities or countries in order to secure a better future.
Confidence, particularly among younger generations, in the prospects of the region has been shaken, and this stands in contrast to its actual potential. Karditsa has a rich geomorphological landscape, natural beauty, diverse environments, productive agricultural land, a strong tradition in quality products, a vibrant cultural heritage and, of course, many capable people. So we are faced with two opposing dynamics: on the one hand, the devastating impacts and pessimism; on the other, the region’s strengths. Our goal, and that of the organisations working towards the region’s recovery, is first to restore both material damage and people’s morale. At a second stage, it is to achieve recovery and reconstruction, to identify new mechanisms, new methods, new ways of thinking, and forms of social innovation that can turn these strengths into drivers of change.
So, would you say there is ground for alternative forms of development?
There certainly is, but it tends to emerge at the level of innovation. There is no overarching mainstream policy framework, although there are programmes that support this alternative approach to governance.
The example of LEADER (Ed. note: the LEADER 2023-2027 program is a European Union program aimed at the local development of rural areas), as it stands today, is an example of bottom-up consultation, where civil society and stakeholders set the agenda and priorities. They prioritize needs and suggest where greater emphasis should be placed. Often, this runs counter to prevailing policies.
Of course, we all have a responsibility to align with policies set at the regional or national level. But this does not deprive us of the right, where space exists, to experiment, to innovate and to pursue alternative approaches. Cooperation, collective effort, bottom-up consultation and the emergence of initiatives and ideas are what matter.
How real is such a cooperative ecosystem?
The work of the Development Agency of Karditsa has revolved around cooperativism for many years, in the broadest sense. That is, the collaboration of actors or citizens across any field or activity, from small associations to large cooperatives, from informal initiatives to structured organisations, including sports and cultural associations. This is at the core of our work, and programmes such as LEADER support these kinds of actions. There are also other European programmes that aim to strengthen cooperation.
We are the only organisation in Greece that has placed cooperation at the centre of its interregional cooperation strategy. We are the only ones who have engaged with cooperation as a deeply social issue. And it requires sustained effort, because cooperation ultimately means trusting the person next to us. And this is precisely what is lacking today.