AgriSmart (2020)

The agricultural sector directly employs around 9.7 million people across the EU (as of 2016).

And it is closely intertwined with the question of climate change: For example, changing amounts of rainfall affect crop production and harvest volumes, but agricultural production itself fuels climate change (e.g. through CO2-intensive production methods).

That is why the EU has made the promotion of sustainable agriculture a central point in its Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), with "smart farming" being one of the key elements.

In order to implement the latter in agriculture, the relevant actors (who mostly rely on empirical values) must be convinced of the new production methods and also trained in their application.

The aim of the project is:

• The adaptation of the vocational training and work-based learning (WBL) offer to existing and emerging professional needs in agriculture
• The strengthening of climate-sensitive and digital skills of farmers

The core competence of DEULA-Nienburg goes from vocational training of apprentices to further education of skilled workers in the agricultural sector.

Through constant exchange with all players in the agricultural sector, it is also well informed about new developments both in agricultural machinery construction and new findings in production methods.

In its daily training operations, it already uses e-learning tools that it has developed itself to train (future) agricultural specialists in and on new methods and techniques.

In this way, DEULA-Nienburg can bring the expertise of her staff into the project in many ways.

• Designing and digital implementation of a curriculum for climate-friendly production methods that addresses the current and future professional requirements of the agricultural sector, as well as its digital practical implementation
• Introduction of innovative training methods and Open Educational Resources (OERs) tailored to the specifics of the agricultural sector to support the VET and WBL offer and thus strengthen the climate-friendly and digital skills of workers in the agricultural sector
• Improvement of the cooperation between public and private actors with regard to the integration of the project results into existing vocational training offers and into EU and national training guidelines