Sustainable Wellbeing Entrepreneurship for Diversification in Agriculture Erasmus Project

Project Title

Sustainable Wellbeing Entrepreneurship for Diversification in Agriculture

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 higher education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Cooperation between educational institutions and business; Rural development and urbanisation; Health and wellbeing

Project Summary

According to Eurostat data 2018, the added value of Italian agriculture has been estimated at € 32.2 billion, as it allows Italy to maintain first place among the EU countries, ahead of France (€ 32.1 billion), Spain (30.2 billion) and Germany (16.8 billion).
EU rural areas are changing and one of the factors is linked to a new agricultural model that identifies multifunctionality as central to achieving economic growth in rural areas in order to revitalize them. OECD defines it as a sector which in addition to primary function of food, aims at protecting the environment through sustainable economic activities, and at guaranting food safety.
The project fits into this context with the aim of promoting diversification of agricultural activities, according to the principles of sustainable rural development and multifunctionality, which preserves animal welfare and wellbeing as crucial part of the food supply chain.
General objective of the project (GO):
Improvement of the entrepreneurial skills of higher education students (EQF 6), to promote the functions related to “well-being” within agricultural and agri-food businesses. In particular, by developing activities related to the well-being of families / individuals within social farms, animal welfare within extensive livestock farms, and environmental well-being within agri-food businesses that apply the principles of bioeconomy and biodiversity.
Consortium:
UniPG – University of Perugia Applicant IT
EGInA – European Grants International Academy Partner IT
Petrarca – European Academy for the Culture of Landscape Partner DE
RTU – Riga Technical University Partner LV
Target Group:
1. Master and postgraduate university students. Students enrolled in the master at the university of agriculture and veterinary, young graduates (all degrees) and agronomists
2. Public and private bodies and NGOs active in rural and sustainable development
3. Agriculture and rural development stakeholders
4. Wider Local communities
Specific objectives of the project (SO):
• SO1 – Develop and test a blended and interdisciplinary EU course on social, animal and environmental well-being in rural areas to contribute to the diversification of agricultural activities in a sustainable way.
• SO2 – Making training participants a real factor of change by involving them in project-based learning for integrated and sustainable well-being in rural areas.
Operational objectives of the project (OO):
a. Promote an exchange of good practices at EU level on social, animal and environmental well-being in rural areas
b. Develop multidisciplinary and integrated pedagogical framework for improving higher education curricula related to agriculture, EQF 6, and for tutor at EQF5.
c. Produce a course combined with a strong project-based approach to enhance the entrepreneurial skills of higher education students.
d. Train 10 masters or postgraduate students from each country of the project (30 in total) who will become a proactive factor in the change of local rural communities in terms of sustainable and integrated well-being.
e. Dissemination and exploitation of results by envisaging the possibility of studying a Joint master Degree, Summer School, to guarantee the sustainability of the project beyond its duration.
f. To contribute to the achievement of the SDGs in line with the parameters set by the EU for the agricultural sector as an input to achieving the sustainable well-being of rural areas.
The expected impact is to improve the skills, knowledge and skills of the agricultural sector to better respond to the challenges associated with the diversification of activities in agriculture, the depopulation of rural areas, the inclusion of young people in the labor market and the promotion of entrepreneurial spirit as a resource to transform ideas into action and thus contribute to the integrated well-being of rural areas.
The project aims to provide knowledge, skills, skills useful to start-up innovative and sustainable initiatives, actions and projects that contribute to a wide impact and an environmentally friendly growth.
The consortium aims to achieve this impact at local, regional, national, EU and international level by also involving main stakeholders to ensure long-term sustainability through the adoption of SWEDA products and principles.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 386408 Eur

Project Coordinator

UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI PERUGIA & Country: IT

Project Partners

• RIGAS TEHNISKA UNIVERSITATE
• PETRARCA – EUROP. AKADEMIE FUR LANDSCHAFTSKULTUR-DEUTSCHAND E.V.
• EUROPEAN GRANTS INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY SRL