How can the European agricultural sector address climate challenges and improve productivity through training and innovation?
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EVECSA focuses on the importance of Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) in improving the resilience of agri-food systems in Europe and the productivity of farmers. Recognizing that their professional development is crucial to addressing climate challenges and market needs, EVECSA promotes the creation of strong partnerships between educational institutions and agricultural stakeholders. These partnerships will create dynamic knowledge ecosystems, fostering collaboration and transfer of essential skills. By bringing together stakeholders from different fields, EVECSA aims to enhance the skills of the agricultural workforce and to promote sustainable development practices.
Establishing knowledge ecosystems for CSA
The process of building the 6 EVECSA Centres of Vocational Excellence and their Communities of Practice is well underway. Partners are currently engaged in detailed analyses of their respective contexts, identifying local needs, available resources, and stakeholder involvement. These efforts will inform the development of strategies to meet the educational and training needs of the CSA sector.
During the first transnational meeting held in Denmark in early October 2024 hosted by the project Coordinator, the Bygholm Landbrugsskole, the 22 project partners shared initial progress and insights. The meeting focused on core topics such as developing public-private partnerships, knowledge transfer for CSA, and enhancing the learning experience, through workshops and examples from past projects.
Exploring innovation in agricultural practices
During the visit at the University of Aarhus, Department of Agroecology, participants had the opportunity to explore cutting-edge developments in agrivoltaic systems through a visit to the experimental facilities of the Value4Farm project. The visit also included a deep dive into precision agriculture research and the exploration of advanced animal research facilities, underlining the role of innovation in shaping future farming practices.
Further discussions centered on building Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVE) as change agents for CSA, highlighting the steps necessary to create impactful CoVEs and an international EVECSA Platform of Vocational Excellence (PoVE).
First results and future directions
The initial results of the needs analysis conducted by project partners were presented, providing valuable insights into the current regional landscape of CSA education and training at the CoVE level. The partners also had the chance to visit Vejlskovgård, a modern dairy farm that exemplifies sustainable milk production, nature conservation, and student training.
