ENHANCING SOCIAL INCLUSION OF YOUTH THROUGH EMPLOYMENT IN AGRI-FOOD SECTOR Erasmus Project

Project Title

ENHANCING SOCIAL INCLUSION OF YOUTH THROUGH EMPLOYMENT IN AGRI-FOOD SECTOR

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 youth

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2019

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Labour market issues incl. career guidance / youth unemployment; Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy) ; Rural development and urbanisation

Project Summary

Youth unemployment is still an important problem in some European countries. The average youth unemployment rate (23,3%) in Turkey is considerably higher compared to the EU-28 (15,2%) (TUIK, May 2019; EUROSTAT, 2019). Long-term unemployment among young people is seen as an obstacle to their full integration into society by the European Union. The mismatch between education, training and competences required by existing job vacancies and the low-level entrepreneurship activities are associated with youth unemployment problem (Putun et al., 2017).

According to T-Kit on Social Inclusion (No.8), different methodologies such as non-formal education (workshop, conference etc.) can be used to encourage young people to actively participate in society. Improving key competencies and working skills of young people with fewer opportunities (especially from rural areas and including NEETs) by using these methodologies could be a great tool to contribute them to the labour market and move society forward (Erasmus+ Inclusion and Diversity Strategy, 2014).

There is a young and dynamic population in Turkey and agriculture is the largest sector for young labor (Balaban, 2015). However, in Turkey and in the rest of Europe, young people start to leave rural areas and they don’t want to choose farming careers. Negative perceptions about farming and limited access to information, technology and financial services are the leading causes of this situation. On the other hand, villages can be the center of production and young people can continue their life by doing profitable agri-food business in these areas. That is why increasing the qualifications and skills of the unemployed youth has social and economic benefits.

Objectives of the project;
-To enhance the social inclusion of youth with fewer opportunities (including NEETs)
-To encourage young people to enter the labour market
-To stop migration towards big cities
-To increase the entrepreneurship and language skills
-To teach new technologies used in agriculture such as drones
-To develop the competence of young people in profitable agri-food activities (e.g. exportation of agri-food products)
-To promote the development of target group (unemployed youth, future farmers, agri-food professionals, local authorities, NEETs, students at high-school or university etc.) to tackle unemployment through free, innovative training materials including topics of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), Agri-Food Marketing, Agricultural Entrepreneurship, Food Safety and Traditional Processing Technologies, and Value-Added Food Products from Fruits and Vegetables
-To increase the agricultural production contribution of young people
-To make farming activities more attractive for youth
-To tighten the cooperation among partners from different countries
-To support agricultural sustainability

The project consortium is formed by 5 experienced partners from 3 countries. The project coordinator is TARIMAS. Its main objective is to develop projects for rural development and to lead agri-food producers in the most accurate way with trainings as well as model applications. It will serve trainings to target groups (students at vocational agriculture high schools & universities, agri-food professionals, young people with fewer opportunities (including NEETs), employees/employers working in agri-food sector etc.) and has EU project experience (ERASMUS+).

The other core partners are:
-Central Research Institute of Food and Feed Control (CRIFFC, Turkey)
-Ministry of Food Agriculture and livestock/General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Policies (GDAR, Turkey)
-The National Technological Centre for the Food and Canning Industry (CTC, Spain)
-Center of Food and Fermentation Technologies (TFTAK, Estonia)

The short-time impact of the project: It will prepare unemployed youth to agri-food business life by enhancing their skills and qualifications through innovative training materials and young tailored activities, and enriching international cooperation for increment in agriculture and food manufacturing activity performance by creating a network for mutual exchange of experience.

The long-term outcomes of the project: The level of youth unemployment will decrease since more qualified young people may be employed by agri-food companies more easily and some of them may start-up their own business. International agri-food trade activities will boost and the number of people moving from rural areas to cities will be lower.

Project Website

http://agrifoodproject.com/

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 116089,5 Eur

Project Coordinator

Bursa Buyuksehir Belediyesi Tarimas Bursa Hayvancilik Tarim Tic San AS & Country: TR

Project Partners

• CENTRAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND FEED CONTROL
• AKTSIASELTS TOIDU- JA FERMENTATSIOONITEHNOLOOGIA ARENDUSKESKUS
• ASOCIACION EMPRESARIAL DE INVESTIGACION CENTRO TECNOLOGICO NACIONAL DE LA CONSERVA
• MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY