New opportunity for rural development Erasmus Project

Project Title

New opportunity for rural development

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 vocational education and training

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Regional dimension and cooperation; Agriculture, forestry and fisheries; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses

Project Summary

The situation of donkeys in Europe is dramatic and they are in danger of extinction. The total number of donkeys is around 40 mil and it has been decreasing for decades. Breeds are often not identified. Where breeds are known, the number of breeding animals is dramatically low. Situation in Macedonia is even worst. Up to now no official data are available about breeds or numbers of animals. The move toward technology left the donkey redundant. The donkey began to disappear completely from view. But with this disappearance, an important part of our cultural heritage is being lost.
Donkeys have played an integral part in Macedonian rural life for centuries but donkeys do not fit into modern living circumstances. Therefore it is clear that donkeys don’t need to breed for purposes for which they were grown over decades.

The main objective of this project is to increase skills and employability of young population in rural areas through access to integrated training programs in donkey protection and farm breeding. Participants acquired skills and knowledge about businesses connected with donkeys which they can use for their own business.

Project participants have taken part in several activities.
In the 1st project phase, employees of “Zdravje” and other veterinary stations carried out a census of donkeys in the country. In the 2nd phase 15 persons interested in donkey protection and farm breeding were selected to attend the training courses. They have the ability to directly use of newly acquired skills in their daily work in local communities, increase the scope of their activities, as well as transfer the knowledge gained. Experts of “Bioselena” and “Magare” provided training courses and prepared curriculum. In the 3rd phase trainers trained persons interested in donkey protection and farm breeding. Actually, around 100 persons interested in farm breeding of donkeys and donkey’s milk production were involved in different dissemination activities within the project.

The proposed project was implemented in the three phases. Activities and expected results were defined for every project phase.
Activities of Phase 1: Census of donkey and recognition of training program for donkey protection and farm breeding.
Results: Census is carried out, Situation analysis is prepared and Curriculum is defined.
Activities of Phase 2: Selection of trainers, Training of trainers, Preparation of curriculum for donkey protection and farm breeding.
Results: Selected trainers, Increased knowledge and skills related to donkey protection and farm breeding, Prepared Brochure for donkey protection and farm breeding.
Activities of Phase 3: Consolidation of activities, Dissemination, Provide support to selected farms to create business plan and start with farm breeding, Creation of awareness for donkey protection and farm breeding.
Results: 100 farmers trained, 2 farms started with farm breeding of donkeys in Macedonia, huge interest in Bulgaria is generated for milk processing and production of cosmetic products. Communication and business relations between projects partners and local entrepreneurs are established.

Methodology that was applied in this project belongs to traditional approaches. The following stages included the proposed traditional project management methodology: Initiation, Planning and design, Execution, Control and integration, Validation (testing and debugging), Closure (installation and maintenance). Teams were assigned for different aspects of the project to take responsibility for, passing things along as goals are reached or assigned tasks are completed.

The project has an overall impact on participants, various institutions and local communities.
PARTICIPANTS
The project increased the skills and competences of direct participants in the project – trainers who were trained in Bulgaria and Croatia in donkey protection and farm breeding thus contributing to improve the situation of local communities.
TARGET GROUPS
Farmers and young persons interested to start business in farm breeding of donkeys benefit from the new ideas for possible innovative business.
Local communities benefit from a professionally implemented dissemination activities to initiate sustainable change in the area of agriculture and improve the socio – economic situation. Strengthened cooperation will further encourage communities to implement of international projects in this area.

The results of the projects Census & Situation Analysis (O1, O2) and Brochure Donkey protection & Farm breeding of Donkeys (O3, O4) are available on the project website as well as websites of partner organizations in the PDF version. In addition, information and links to the above mentioned results will be published on relevant sites for educators as well as in Erasmus+ dissemination platform. That will ensure a long-term sustainability and availability of the project.

Curriculum for farm breeding of donkey and utilization of donkey milk was developed and approved by VET center. Initiative to MAFWE was addressed to amend current policy for direct payment including subsidies for farm breeding of donkeys.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 71863 Eur

Project Coordinator

DOO Veterinarna Stanica ZDRAVJE Delcevo & Country: MK

Project Partners

• PROBIO Dooel Skopje
• Magare
• FONDATSIYA ZA BIOLOGICHNO ZEMEDELIE BIOSELENA