Bridging Generations in Agroecology Erasmus Project

Project Title

Bridging Generations in Agroecology

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for adult education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Social/environmental responsibility of educational institutions; Cooperation between educational institutions and business; Environment and climate change

Project Summary

The project „Bridging Generations in Agroecology” (BAG) responds to challenges affecting rural areas in Europe. Agroecology is an answer to the dramatic consequences of commercialization relationship between humans and ecosystems. It leads towards the change in food production, distribution, consumption with the respect to social and environmental justice and care for the Planet. Small food systems supported in agroecology provide local knowledge, cultivate local identity and culture, strengthen sustainable rural development.
The sustainability of the food systems in European countries is now well recognized as highly critical, in terms of environment, biodiversity protection, health, and nutrition of the population. While a strong trend of aging in agriculture and rural communities, new entrants – often from different background – want to recreate food systems, practicing agroecology, and investing in rural development. New entrants often without any agricultural/nor rural background- are at the same time highly promising for Europe and poorly supported. This project seeks to support new entrants installation in agroecology exploring a determining factor of the success of installation: knowledge transmission. Organic agriculture and agroecology are recognized to be job creators. European countries, at policy and society levels, are facing a crucial need to guarantee a future of sustainable rural development: supporting knowledge transmission between elder farmers and new entrants while supporting knowledge sharing amongst existing farmers and educators.
The project Bridging Generations in Agroecology will implement a partnership of 6 organizations and institutions from Poland, Germany, France, Netherlands, Italy, and Switzerland:
ZIARNO – Ecological-Cultural Association working in the field of education for sustainability,
HNEE – University for Sustainable Development in Eberswalde (Germany),
Toekomstboeren – a Dutch new entrant farmers association,
InterAfocg – a French farmers network,
Schola Campesina – an Italian agroecology school and
Swiss School of Biodynamic Agriculture.
All partners conduct activities related to adult education in agroecology.
The main aim of the project would be: raising knowledge and skills in the field of education on agroecology and exchange on facilitation methods of knowledge transmission between generations.
Specific objectives:
1. developing educational methods in the field of agroecology, including the method “farmer to farmer” as an example of a tool used to
disseminate knowledge and folk high school pedagogy
2. giving an updated overview of the existing mechanisms of knowledge transmission in agroecology in our countries. as well as policy recommendations for policymakers, through a publication on agroecology and online films, webinars and podcasts.
The main target groups would be: adults interested in agroecology, starting their own sustainable initiatives in rural areas like an organic farm, garden, eco-enterprise, food-cooperative and so on. We will work as well with adult education institutions and farmers’ organizations active (or wishing to be more active) in the field of knowledge transmission in agroecology.
The intellectual results of the BAG project are:
1. Developing a guidebook and course curricula in the field of agroecology, including using the education method “farmer to farmer” as an example of a tool used to disseminate knowledge and folk high school pedagogy.
2. Creating curricula and abstracts for 4-5 courses in the fields related to agroecology, addressed to those who wish to switch to eco-initiatives in rural settings,
3. Elaborating educational material for online use, such as webinars, videos and podcasts presenting best practices in knowledge transfer between generations of farmers.
Other results of the project would be: strengthening the knowledge and skills of partnership members in the field of adult education in agroecology, particularly the farmer-to-farmer knowledge and skills transfer and development of civic skills in farmers community; fostering international cooperation in European network of organizations working in the field of agroecology; raising awareness of farmers, teachers, and decision-makers in partner countries on the impact of farming on the environment and climate change and promoting the environment and climate-friendly solutions in agriculture.
What is innovative in the project is linking education in agroecology with methods and ideas of adult education, represented especially by folk high schools, the horizontal education method “farmer to farmer” and using online tools: podcasts, webinars and films. We believe that the promotion of agroecological solutions is one of the most important tasks facing governments and residents of the EU in the face of the challenges associated with climate change and the role of agriculture in this area.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 369431 Eur

Project Coordinator

Stowarzyszenie Ekologiczno-Kulturalne ZIARNO & Country: PL

Project Partners

• Association Nationale de formation collective à la gestion
• Schola Campesina APS
• HOCHSCHULE FUR NACHHALTIGE ENTWICKLUNG EBERSWALDE
• Verein für biolologisch dynamische Landwirtschaft
• Toekomstboeren