REVAB: REuse and Valorization of Agricultural Buildings through training based on real experiences Erasmus Project

Project Title

REVAB: REuse and Valorization of Agricultural Buildings through training based on real experiences

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 2015

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Rural development and urbanisation; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Entrepreneurial learning – entrepreneurship education

Project Summary

Rural areas have been facing significant challenges in recent years:

– The economic crisis that the EU has faced in the last number of years has had negative impacts on employment rates in many of the Member States. More specifically, the unemployment rate in the EU went from 6.4% in 2007 to 11.2% in January 2015 (Eurostat, March 2015). In addition to this, the unemployment rate in predominantly rural regions of the EU has been even higher, at 11% compared to 8.5% in predominantly urban regions in 2011 (EC, 2012).
– At the same time, participation in lifelong learning programmes is lower amongst rural populations. The share of the population participating to lifelong learning courses in rural areas of the EU-27 was 6.6% at the end of 2013, which was lower than in intermediate urbanised (8.4%) and densely-populated areas (11.1%) (EC, December 2013).
– According to Corine Land Cover data, between 2000 and 2006, there was a reduction by more than 500,000 ha inthe surface area of arable land, permanent crops, pastures, and mosaics across Europe. This phenomenon can lead to the loss of centres of rural living.

The potential for reusing existing agricultural buildings as centres of rural living is huge, but opportunities to learn about the experiences of entrepreneurs who have already gone through the process are scant..

The objectives of the REVAB project are:
– To foster an entrepreneurial approach for the use of existing agricultural buildings in different regions of Europe.
– To encourage rural entrepreneurs, rural land and real estate owners, and young farmers to think about possibilities for reuse and valorisation of existing agricultural real estate and farmsteads in a way that is conscious of economic, ecologic, and social impacts.
– To avoid further consumption of agricultural land for new buildings when existing ones and their unique heritage could be preserved..

These aims were addressed with the development of a training system based on Open Educational Resources (OER).

The REVAB project consortium was made of 5 partners from Mediterranean Europe (Spain and Italy), Central Europe (Germany and Belgium), and Eastern Europe (Bulgaria).
ELO (BE): A European umbrella organisation representing European landowners.
HuL (DE): An independent private consultancy focused on consulting agricultural and rural family enterprises.
OnP (ES): A project management and project evaluation consulting enterprise.
ASAJA (ES) and CIA (IT): Farmers’ associations.
AGRITOUR (BU): An organisation working for the development of rural areas in Bulgaria.

The above-mentioned objectives have been addressed through the development of a web-based training platform designed for self-learning. The training materials will help the main target groups (rural entrepreneurs, rural land and real estate owners, and young farmers) to gain the skillls and knowledge to reuse and and add value to agricultural buildings in a sustainable way. The training system is made up of the following elements:

– A Summary Report about the state of the art of agricultural building reuse and valorisation aimed at providing the learner with background information about the situation in Europe and in the countries of the partner organisations working together on the project.

– 16 Case Studies from the 5 countries involved in the project based on the selection of best practices related to reuse/valorisation.

– Training Modules based on the skills and knowledge requirements that were identified in the Summary Report and the Case Studies which address the skills necessary for entrepreneurs to master reuse/valorisation successfully. The Training Modules also include evaluation questionnaires to self-assess the competences acquired.

– A Serious Game which simulates the implementation of a reuse/valorisation process with individual learner’s input. In combination with the use of the accompanying Training Modules, the learner can apply the lessons learned and feedback from the Serious Game to his/her individual reuse/valorisation process, thereby increasing his/her chance of success.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 248898,98 Eur

Project Coordinator

EUROPEAN LANDOWNERS ORGANIZATION & Country: BE

Project Partners

• CONFEDERAZIONE ITALIANA AGRICOLTORI TOSCANA
• Hof und Leben GmbH
• ASOCIACION AGRARIA JOVENES AGRICULTORES ASAJA GRANADA
• Asociatia Pentru Educatie Permanenta in Mediul Rural
• On Projects Advising SL
• AGRITOUR Ltd.