How to improve the learning supply of farmers by promoting Climate Smart Agriculture

“When we talk to students and farmers in Denmark about the green transition, most agree that they, – and the entire agricultural sector, plays a crucial and important role. But when asked how they can act more climate-smart, many become less clear. We need to give students and farmers specific skills to work in a climate-smart way and give the entire sector a more proactive voice and role in the green transition”

Kasper Hvelplund Overgaard – Denmark CoVE Regional Captain

“When we talk to students and farmers in Denmark about the green transition, most agree that they, – and the entire agricultural sector, plays a crucial and important role. But when asked how they can act more climate-smart, many become less clear. We need to give students and farmers specific skills to work in a climate-smart way and give the entire sector a more proactive voice and role in the green transition”

Kasper Hvelplund Overgaard – Denmark CoVE Regional Captain

The new CoVEs stimulate innovation, collaboration, and the nurturing of talent in a wide variety of expertise and sectors. The diversity of issues the CoVEs are addressing is striking.

Whether it’s beekeeping or sports, each CoVE promises to be a beacon of excellence in its respective domain. With a focus on hands-on training, interdisciplinary learning, and real-world application, these CoVEs aim to bridge the gap between education and industry, ensuring graduates are equipped with the skills needed to thrive in today’s fast changing landscape. Among the diverse array of disciplines covered by the new CoVEs are smart electricity, renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, workplace innovation, and more. 

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By addressing emerging trends in emerging industries, these centres help shape the future of vocational education and foster creativity, skill development, and industry alignment.

As the world continues to navigate through unprecedented challenges and opportunities, the role of vocational education in driving innovation and prosperity has never been more critical. With the announcement of 15 new CoVEs, we are moving forwards in a journey of discovery, growth, and transformation, empowering the next generation of changemakers to shape the future of tomorrow.

The Centers of Vocational Excellence that started per March 2024

  • CoVE-WENDT – Centre of Vocational Excellence in Welding and Non-Destructive Testing
  • VOLTAGE – Vocational Training for Optimal Learning and Growth in the European Battery Industry
  • BeeLieve – European Centres of Vocational Excellence in Apiculture
  • SHOREWINNER – Southern European Community for Offshore Wind Energy
  • INFINITE – Intelligent printing, flexible and organic electronics Excellence
  • GreenHost – Vocational Excellence, Policy and Enterprise United for Hospitality Management Skills Adapted on Environmental Footprint Methods
  • PROMOTE – Promoting Integrated Professional Development for Prison Practitioners in Vocational Excellence for Offender Reintegration
  • STARS – Shaping Talents and Achieving Vocational Excellence in Sports
  • CEDCE – Colleges for European Data Center Education
  • H2CoVE – Hydrogen Centres of Vocational Excellence
  • SEBCoVE – Smart Electricity for Buildings – Centers of Vocational Excellence
  • WIN4SMEs – Regional and International Education Partnerships for Workplace Innovation in SMEs
  • P4ELECS – Platform for Electrification Skills and Competences
  • INVESTech – Innovation Vocational Excellence in Tech
  • EVECSA – European Vocational Excellence for Climate Smart Agriculture

Wondering where these CoVEs are located and what they aspire? Check out the movie below and browse our network map with all Erasmus Centers of Vocational Excellence!

Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) is an approach promoted by FAO, starting in 2010, to create technical, policy and investment conditions conducive to sustainable agricultural development that addresses climate change issues while ensuring food security.

“Investing in climate-smart agriculture is essential for enhancing food security and economic development in a sustainable manner.”

accordingly to Chakib Jenane, World Bank Regional Director for Sustainable Development.[1]

EVECSA – European Vocational Excellence for Climate Smart Agriculture – shall build strong skills ecosystems through strong Communities of Practice (CoP) in the next four years. The project, recently started, foresees that 22 partners will collaborate to establish six Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVE) in six countries. The Italian CoVE is composed of three organisations: LAND, CESIE and CORERAS. Ten agro-VET providers, six enterprises or industry- and sector representative organisations, four universities and two knowledge partners will be involved.

Following the establishment of centres of excellence at the national level, a platform (PoVE) will be established at the European level to serve as a tool for sharing best practices and collaboration among the various CoVEs.

This transnational cooperation will deliver the European Vocational Alliance for Climate Smart Agriculture (EVACSA) which will continue to shape climate smart agriculture education policies and practices that foster sustainable production of food, job opportunities, and well-being for all.

In the first phase of the project, we met the regional captains to launch and provide guidelines to establish the first event at the CoVE level, which will involve all partners and other CoVE-level stakeholders. The Italian CoVe’s public presentation took place May 9th at the Second Stakeholders forum, organised by the Centre for Sustainability and Ecological Transition of Unipa. We had the opportunity to present the project to the general public and relevant stakeholders.

In the next months, LAND will develop a survey with the aims to reveal needs as well as resources within each CoVE in relation to the skills ecosystem and the transition to climate smart agriculture.

 

EVECSA is funded by the ERASMUS+ project, and will last for a period of 48 months. In collaboration with Bygholm – BYGHOLM LANDBRUGSSKOLE (Denmark – Coordinator), Asmildkloster – ASMILDKLOSTER LANDBRUGSSKOLE (Denmark), Green Academy – JORDBRUGETS UDDANNELSESCENTER ARHUS (Denmark), Kalo Organic – VIDEN DJURS (Denmark), FBCD AS (Denmark), AU – AARHUS UNIVERSITET (Denmark), EAMANRESA – Departament d’Acció Climàtica, Alimentació i Agenda Rural (Spain), BOSCAT FUSTA SL (Spain), UVic-UCC – FUNDACIO UNIVERSITARIA BALMES (Spain), CESIE ETS (Italy), LAND IMPRESA SOCIALE SRL (Italy), CORERAS – CONSORZIO REGIONALE PER LA RICERCA APPLICATA E LA SPERIMENTAZIONE (Italy), Aeres – STICHTING AERES GROEP (Holland), AFC – STICHTING AGROFOODCLUSTER (Holland), KATAPULT – STICHTING PLATFORM TALENT VOORTECHNOLOGIE (Holland), ProAgria – PROAGRIA KESKI-POHJANMAA RY (Finland), KPEDU – KESKI-POHJANMAAN KOULUTUSYHTYMA (Finland), SEDU – SEINAJOEN KOULUTUSKUNTAYHTYMA (Finland), LUAS – LAPLAND UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES (Finland), Pow.ZD. – POWIAT ZDUNSKOWOLSKI (Poland), UPWr – UNIWERSYTET PRZYRODNICZY WE WROCLAWIU (Poland), Energia- ENERGIA OZ SP ZOO (Poland).

Do you want do know more about EVECSA?

Are you a VET organisation, VET staff or VET student interested in climate smart agriculture issues? Do you work for an agricultural company and would like to learn more about green skills? To learn more, contact margherita.rosi@impresasocialeland.org.


[1] World bank, Advancing Climate-Smart Agriculture Technologies in Africa, press release – March 8, 2024. Available at: https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2024/03/08/advancing-climate-smart-agriculture-technologies-in-africa.

Climate-Smart Agriculture on the curriculum

EVECSA: Enhancing vocational training in sustainable agriculture

Strengthening vocational excellence for Climate Smart Agriculture through collaboration

The 3rd Forum on Vocational Excellence took place in Lyon alongside the 47th WorldSkills competition

EVECSA Poland CoVE launched with participation of Deputy Minister of Agriculture

We study the link between forestry and agriculture in the first visit within the framework of the EVECSA project