Urban Farming and Entrepreneurship for Adults Erasmus Project

Project Title

Urban Farming and Entrepreneurship for Adults

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 adult education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Environment and climate change; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Civic engagement / responsible citizenship

Project Summary

Overurbanization has led to a considerable pressure on establishing an ecological harmonization in the relationship between natural environment and human beings. Against this background, the benefits and the positive impact from urban farming are numerous. Οrganic and vertical farming in and around cities can boost social, economic and environmental sustainability. Among others, urban farming contributes to the mitigation of the climate change implications, allows consumers produce local food and curbs at a significant level air pollution in big urban areas. Urban farming is also a unique opportunity for engaging city dwellers in active community participation and establishing community-based initiatives. Having in mind that urban farming requires little initial investment and installations, it can also encourage individuals in developing their small-scale businesses either from their balconies, small gardens, rooftops or even in community gardens and public parks. Further to that, the financial crisis in the EU had a severe impact on the public and private investment of training programs. The number of low-skilled adults and those excluded from lifelong learning has been increased over the past years (European Association of Region and Local Authorities for Lifelong Learning). To this end, uRBFARM project is suggesting a training program which combines face-to-face and on-line learning in urban farming and entrepreneurship skills tailored to low-skilled adults’ capacities, potential and needs.

uRBFARM is an innovative blended-learning program which aims to:
– Teach adults green skills, entrepreneurship and food literacy
– Enhance active participation and community-building in urban areas
– Boost-up the number of people in adult education and build awareness on Erasmus+ lifelong learning opportunities
– Develop innovative adult education opportunities (i.e. blended learning) and encourage widespread implementation
– Increase e-learning/on-line literacy among adults
– Trigger more environment-friendly individual lifestyle and behaviours
– Deploy Erasmus+ to foster and cultivate a common European value among citizens

uRBFARM target groups are:
– Low skilled adult learners interested in urban farming, green skills and entrepreneurship
– Unemployed individuals
– Senior citizens
– VET & adult education providers
– General public

The main results of the uRBFARM program are:
– A blended-learning program for low-skilled adult learners
– A program with four core training modules in a) organic farming, b) vertical farming, c) entrepreneurship skills and d) community-based initiatives
– Labs for sustainability skills
– uRBFARM Massive and Open Online Course (MOOC)
– 1 info day for each partner
– A multi-lingual toolkit explaining country particularities, characteristics and challenges in urban setting

The partnership has put in place a concise project and management plan in order to ensure the smooth execution of the project (such as quality assurance, budget control, management, risks mitigation, partners responsibilities) for its 24-month duration. The training program will be developed according to the three intellectual outputs. In the meanwhile, three transnational meetings are foreseen to take place (kick-off meeting in Germany, 2nd project meeting in Austria and 3rd meeting in Italy) while online permanent communication among all partners will run throughout the lifespan of the project. Among the other dissemination and exploitation strategies, one-day info days will be projected in each partner city. In addition to that, key stakeholders will be involved and contribute to supporting the project partners to establish an inclusive and novel training program.

Impact on the participants:
– Equip EU citizens with urban farming and green skills
– Empower low-skilled adult learners with entrepreneurship skills
– Engage individuals in community-based actions and initiatives
– Enhance blended learning for adult learners

Impact on the partner countries:
– Broaden knowledge and build awareness on sustainable urban farming practices
– Extend European network
– Build synergies and collaboration at local, national and EU level
– Build staff capacities in adult education and blended learning
– Motivate partners to undertake/join similar projects

In terms of long-term impact, we expect to have contributed to engage more and more city dwellers in actions which can lead to positive effects on environment and create a generation of low-skilled adults who pursue education no matter of age or level of education. Further to that, by implementing similar projects, EU citizens become more acknowledged about EU values and the common community they belong to.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 278475 Eur

Project Coordinator

Association for Vertical Farming e.V. & Country: DE

Project Partners

• SYMPLEXIS
• SKYBRIDGE PARTNERS OUTSOURCING SERVICES I.K.E.
• FONDAZIONE HALLGARTEN-FRANCHETTI CENTRO STUDI VILLA MONTESCA
• CSI CENTER FOR SOCIAL INNOVATION LTD
• BEST INSTITUT FUR BERUFSBEZOGENE WEITERBILDUNG UND PERSONALTRAINING GMBH
• BK Consult GmbH