Rural Entrepreneurship Leveraging Advanced training for Young farmers Erasmus Project

Project Title

Rural Entrepreneurship Leveraging Advanced training for Young farmers

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 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Entrepreneurial learning – entrepreneurship education; ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Agriculture, forestry and fisheries

Project Summary

Young farmers represent the economic bulk of European rural areas; territories that make up from 40% to 80% of every European nation

Eurostat data (2016) affirm that more than 30% of workers in agricultural field are so called “Young Farmers” (<40 y/o). As the EU Commission recognised, the role of these very young entrepreneurs occupies a critical dimension within the socio-economic system fabric – so much that the EU affirmed that “THE FUTURE IS RURAL”. Some EU reports (“Young Farmers: Policy Implementation after 2013 CAP Reform”, EU Parliament Oct. 2017; “EIP Agri Focus Group on New Entrants to Farming”, EU Commission 2016; “Needs of Young Farmers” EU Commission Nov. 2015) clearly identify the need of a strong entrepreneurial and risk management training (as well as new technologies) from which targets can benefit Low digital skills combined with the missing integration of Digital tools, are two factors that inhibit the competitiveness of young farmers business and the exploitation of missing opportunities. In addition to that, there are sever factors to be considered: I) The Time: farmers do not have enough time to dedicate to traditional training, mostly because these services are provided by specialised centres that are located out of their reach II) The Cost: both direct (the enrolment fee) and indirect costs (time spent on training) III) The relevance of the existing training: the solutions currently offered by the markets are more specialised on traditional means and very little is taught about digital solutions and ICT tools for rural entrepreneurship The ultimate objectives of the next Common Agricultural Policy see young farmers as the main object of its policies: however, young farmers’ competitiveness is threatened by several key factors: A) a lack of entrepreneurial training B) a lack of digital skills solutions C) the unpredictable development of the market dynamics related to the primary sector D) the competitive pressure represent by big industrial value chain Said so, there is the existing necessity to valorise, enhance and support these fragile working categories leveraging on innovative entrepreneurial solutions applied to agriculture Project’s OBJECTIVE: YOUNG FARMERS aims to valorise a sustainable and competitive growth path for young farmers providing them a set of training tools properly customised on their major needs. The content of the training addresses: - Communication and ICT skills - Digital and innovative management models for agriculture - Internationalisation and EU single market - Challenges and opportunities consequent to the adoption of such business framework - EU initiatives for young farmers The YOUNG FARMERS Partnership is represented by a heterogeneous sample of VET institutions and targets representatives both from public and private sector. 7 partners from 5 different nations bring in a wide range of complementary backgrounds and know-hows that will allow great benefits and impact not only for the targets, but also for the overall sum of stakeholders that have high expectations for this project As previously mentioned, the PRIMARY TARGET group is represented by young farmers from rural and EU areas in need of strong and reliable digital and training solutions to enhance and valorise the competitiveness of their small businesses. The SECONDARY TARGET consists of socio-economic actors who daily operates within the entrepreneurship support systems such as business consultants, trade, communication and marketing experts, ICT providers, Chambers of Commerce, Category Associations, international trade experts, Public sector representatives, Academia and research centres. Each group will be proactively engaged at any implementation stage of the project (Horizontal activities of project development and transversal priorities). 120 Primary targets representative will be highly involved in IO3, when it comes to testing and validating the project results. All main Groups of Interest are already represented in the RELAY project thanks to the presence of complementary Associated Partners and policy makers who endorse the project The Consortium foresee 4 main results: -O1 YOUNG FARMERS OER Platform translated in each language that is represented within the Consortium -O2 The Mapping and stock taking on empowering paths for Young Farmers plus a formal document that finalise and systemise the singular national findings. -O3 The training toolkit and its T&V on 120 targets. It clearly represents the main asset of the project, all partners will contribute on its development on the basis of their specific expertise -O4 The guidelines for further uptake plus policy recommendations, in order to allow the mainstreaming of the project results and their replicability across the EU territory – independently from the temporal and geographical limits of the partnership About IMPACTS and BENEFITS: YOUN FARMERS is strategically aligned to the most relevant EU pr

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 211333 Eur

Project Coordinator

Agency for economic development Kostinbrod & Country: BG

Project Partners

• National Association of Young Farmers in Bulgaria
• INSTITUT DE HAUTE FORMATION AUX POLITIQUES COMMUNAUTAIRES
• Fundacja Circle Centrum innowacji i badan w zakresie wspolpracy w doksztalcaniu sie i przedsiebiorczosci
• TOGETHER FOR PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
• INTERNET WEB SOLUTIONS SL
• IDP SAS DI GIANCARLO COSTANTINO (ITALIAN DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS)