<< Objectives >>Climate smart agriculture is a new approach combining different technics and methods in order to transform the food system from a greenhouse gas emitting sector to a climate neutral or event climate negative sector.<< Implementation >>The project is developing learning modules on climate smart agriculture and innovation management skills. Additionally, inspiring case studies provide first-hand experiences. The results are complementary and enable farmers to implement new, innovative processes at their farms.<< Results >>The project will provide learning materials on Climate Smart Farming and the successful transformation of agricultural businesses. Participants and national and European networks of the partner organisations will make themselves familiar with the concept of Climate Smart Farming. As an outcome, more farms are applying sustainable and resilient farming techiques contributing to the diversity and viability of the agricultural sector.

The EU has clearly identified the need for European agriculture to be reshaped towards greater sustainability. Multifunctional agriculture is the key concept underlying the reformed agricultural and rural development policy aiming at increasing sustainability of agriculture, while at the same time being competitive at the European and global market. Most farmers, especially young farmers and managers of family farms, however, lack the skills necessary to successfully engage in and implement the EU's measures aiming at multifunctional agriculture. This is less due to a lack of attitude or technical (agricultural) knowledge but rather a matter of missing economic, organisational and entrepreneurial skills. Thus the SEMA II project addresses the nexus of multifunctional agriculture and the necessary entrepreneurial skills among young and family farmers. The SEMA II project aims at providing high quality learning opportunities on multifunctional agriculture oriented entrepreneurial skills and capacities for European farmers, and increasing competencies of trainers and facilitators of organisations relevant for agricultural training at a regional and local level. Specifically targeting young farmers and family farm managers, the capacity building approach offers opportunities for farmers beyond formal vocational training and further education at low cost and low entry thresholds. The project will use innovative ways of implementation through the combination of audio and video files with expert knowledge and best practices examples. The project consortium is composed of 6 organisations from 5 different EU countries (PL, ES, LT, BE, DE) and shows cooperation between new and old European Member States. A comprehensive partnership has been established, consisting of research and consulting organisations (WUELS, IfLS), adult education organisations (DEFOIN, ARID), a European young farmer organisation (CEJA), and an institute of ICT and education technologies (BETI). To achieve the objectives of the project two Intellectual Outputs will be developed, tested and multiplied: the ‘Training system on entrepreneurial skills for multifunctional agriculture’ (O1) acting as an umbrella for the ‘In depth case studies on entrepreneurial multifunctional farmers’ (O2). Main results produced within O1 are Open Educational Resource modules consisting of audio and video files on multifunctional farming and guidelines for learners and facilitators. Also the case studies developed in O2 are made available as audio or video file. The SEMA II training system approach is based on self-learning. But also the innovative educational method ‘flipped classroom training’ can be applied, during which learners first use the OERs independently and then discuss the learning outcomes with the facilitator. All outputs produced will be freely accessible for the public within and beyond the project’s lifetime. The project will have beneficial impacts on young farmers and family farmers through increasing their entrepreneurial skills and applying these to successfully develop new business strategies and action plans for setting in value multifunctional agriculture. Furthermore agricultural organisations active in farm management related training will strengthen their capacities to offer high quality ICT-based tailored learning opportunities for individual learners. Finally, the awareness of stakeholders about the importance of entrepreneurial skills for multifunctional agriculture will be raised, and their knowledge on availability of the SEMA II training system will enable stakeholders to mainstream project results into the respective national and European policies. The envisaged longer term benefits of the project are an increased competitiveness of farms which are at the same time contribute to the provision of public goods such as functional water and nutrient cycles or landscape attractiveness. Thus SEMA II will contribute to an increased overall sustainability of agricultural activities and viability of rural areas on a regional level. Last, it will also strengthen the position of younger and family farmers, thus maintaining the diversity of farm structures while supporting the new rural paradigm.

"<< Background >>A notable boost to a niche market farming trend, in opposition to agriculture industry based on intensive production of commodities, started in the years 50's in Switzerland from a movement of young farmers aiming at protecting soil depletion due to increasing use of chemicals. This movement was also strongly influenced by the Rudolf Steiner's concept of biodynamic agriculture widespread in the 20's. In the 60's and 70's the organic farming movement represented an international opposition in the main European countries to continuous increase of chemicals in agriculture industry and loss of biodiversity.In 1986 was founded in Italy Slow Food, at that time under the name Arci Gola, a no-profit association acting as an international cultural movement protecting biodiversity, seed savers and heritage food small producers, by giving them visibility and assistance (Slow Food Praesidium) and managing the so called Earth Mother networks and farmers' markets.The importance of organic farming was stated in Europe since 1991 with the first regulation (EC Reg. 2092/91) for plants and since 1999 (EC Reg.1804/99) for animals, subsequently substituted by EC Reg. 834/2007. The growing organic food demand all over the world has constantly enlarged the arable land dedicated to organic farming during the last 20 years also with appearance in the global market of new emerging producer countries, with main aim to provide big retailers with low cost global organic food, but also with consequent problems on loss of biodiversity, local features and taste and quality control.The European Union also stated to protect food brands, mostly pertaining to national heritage of Member States, but also including some traditional products from non-EU countries, based on EU Regulation 1151/2012, corresponding to Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), for food produced and processed entirely in a specified area, Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), for food with at least origin or process based on a specified area, and Traditional Specialties Guaranteed (TSG), pertaining to a traditional recipe.Another trendy niche market linked to biodiversity is rediscovering old varieties abandoned in the past because of their marginalization due to new and more productive varieties: old cereals, for traditional bread and noodles, vegetables, particularly legumes, and oil seeds, such as flax and sunflower, are again in fashion, processed and marketed because of their special and unique tastes, cultural values and healthy/nutraceutical characteristics.There are also to be mentioned some notable business-like trends in the very last years aiming at valorizing local tradition and food heritage as national, regional and local brands. Eataly, founded in 2004, is an example of branding valorization, based on communication and promotion of Italy, as country of good food and Mediterranean diet, and with a network of food shops and restaurants in big cities all over the world, by mostly restoring former abandoned and run-down stores, cinemas and factories with new look and effective but user friendly management.The niche market farming approach is clearly connected to the farm-to-fork strategy within the Green Deal goals.The European Green Deal provides an action plan for a sustainable economy and to restore biodiversity and to cut pollution. The Farm to Fork Strategy is at the heart of this objective aiming at a fair, healthy and environmentally friendly food system. Within the framework of European Innovation Partnerships in Agriculture (EIP-Agri) the EU supports the development of concrete short chains and innovative added-value products and services and the establishment of collaboration between farmers, farm cooperatives, processors and consumers, as it is precisely in the background and objectives of the NMF project.<< Objectives >>Beside to traditional large-scale agri-food supply chains ""agricultural production – industrial processing – large-scale retail chains"", that pertain to the commodities market, the project contributes to provide innovative training addressed to farmers, agriculture advisory services and agricultural vocational school and university students, as main target groups, on small food supply chains, based on local biodiversity and quality heritage food, generated by local rural communities and suitable to develop new distribution chains for specific niche market farming.Large-scale retailers, starting after the Second World War but playing a more and more important role in the market since the years 70's, have developed a great work on food security, triggering significant agro-food economies and pushing agricultural production and mechanization, but also holding over time a full control of food chains in favor of processing industry and distribution dominating the primary sector. This imbalance has marginalized the small and family farms that hold a unique traditional food heritage, in terms of territories, biodiversity and knowledge and made difficult the processes of knowledge and awareness of consumers and citizens in regard to origin of food sources, information on producing territories and their authenticity, enhancement of regional and local cultures. Against these trends, many farms in Europe have developed different strategies: i) direct selling and short chains, ii) farmers markets, iii) associations of producers with their marketing strategies, iv) markets for local and quality food, v) local districts, vi) online sales, vii) green procurement (purchase of environmentally friendly products and services), viii) fair trade and solidarity-based production, etc.. There is therefore the preliminary need A) to know the cultural, food chain and market value corresponding to the local heritage food, B) to protect the biodiversity and food process know-how representing a specific area, C) to identify new models and approaches of distribution chains more consistent with small agricultural entrepreneurships, beside to large-scale distribution processes, enabling farmers' associations and cooperatives as well as rural communities and stakeholders to retrieve a full role for small farms, strengthening their local presence with agro-food related new distribution chains and niche-markets.All together these concepts and knowledge are fundamental to be collected, communicated and transferred to young generations and also implemented with smart technologies, from digital communication to precision farming, enabling farmers to provide quality and competitiveness level comparable to the market challenges with more sustainability tackling the climate change and towards a circular economy.The project also aims to contribute to the global Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations and its member states in 2015. Sustainable agriculture has direct connections to SDG 2 (no hunger) and SDG 15 (life on land). Indirect connection based on niche markets and sustainable farming can be made to SDG 8 (jobs), SDG 12 (sustainable production and consumption) and SDG 13 (limiting climate change and mitigation). A combined and e-learning course that covers the different themes, steps and competences needed for niche market farming can be a milestone for a modern and competitive approach to agriculture security and sustainability for family farms today and in the future.The Niche Market Farming project aims to provide farmers, students, trainers and stakeholders of the food sector with a user friendly Web Training Platform focused on old farming varieties and breeds as main biodiversities, geographical indication quality food and products alternative to commodities, particularly suitable for small scale agriculture in rural and less favoured areas.<< Implementation >>From the preliminary TNA in four countries and SoA based on national reports and transnational summary report the project will elaborate an interactive e-learning based course, also suitable for front lessons and combined training, that will enable farmers, students from agricultural vocational schools and universities and advisory services, as primary target groups, and representatives of local communities, policy and decision makers, at local, regional, national and European level, to learn a basic and detailed knowledge on niche market farming and quality food heritage products. A combined and e-learning course that covers the different themes, steps and competences needed for niche-market farming can represent a milestone for a modern and competitive approach for agriculture security and sustainability of local communities today and in the future.The project will be focused on 4 Project Results, corresponding to different themes and level of competence:PR1 - Biodiversity, old varieties, traditional food heritage and niche-market PR2 - Organic and biodynamic food and niche-market rural chainsPR3 - PDO, PGI, TSG and quality geographical indication food niche-marketPR4 - Combined and e-learning platform for niche-market agriculture and food.The project management will be based on a timeline to be respected, deliverables and milestones to be achieved, under SWOT analysis as a specific task of the Spanish partner ON Projects in collaboration with the Governing Board of all partners.The quality content will be assessed by the Polish partner Lacjum, responsible for the quality reports based on collection of peer reviews from all partners.The administrative control will be performed by the coordinator in collaboration with ON Projects controlling that the due documents will be provided correct and in time.The Web platform, that will be designed inhouse by the partner ON Projects by agreement with the coortdinator, will have the double function of public information and dissemination on the partnership and ongoing project activities and repository of the 3 Modules and related Case Studies and it will be used for the pilot testing in all countries during the last four months.The Multiplier Events, in Germany, Italy, Poland and Spain, will complete the project activities.<< Results >>Based on the 4 Project Results, constituted of 3 Modules, and the Web Platform where the online course will be available, the project will help the target groups be aware and competent on Niche Market Farming and quality food heritage products that can provide the small farms and rural communities with knowledge and know-how enabling them to develop agricultural biodiversity, local recipes, organic food and farmers' market networking for a more sustainable and resilient agriculture, particularly in rural and less favoured areas. This change based on farm-to-fork within the Green Deal can contribute to adapt and balance the opportunities for small farms and villages to combine tradition and innovation within a win-win perspective in the relationships between producers and customers.The retailer food sector will be also concerned with more attention to respect origin and peculiarities of food heritage combined with quality ensured by the producers and including fair trade and ethic rules respecting the dignity of agricultural workers, the conservation of agricultural biodiversity, the protection of environment and landscapes, the animal welfare and the rights for producers and consumers to fair commercial practices.The project aims therefore to open new opportunities for small farmers and rural communities within the mainstream of the farm-to-fork and Green Deal goals, provide students of the agricultural schools and university with new interests and training tools towards a more environmentally, socially and economically sustainable agriculture and food sector, and give advisory services, policy and decision makers an innovative approach contributing to tackle the abandonment and digital divide of rural areas and sustaining the economy of family farms and rural villages.This production system based on family farms, food heritage from rural communities and connected to the protection of biodiversity and rural landscapes, needs specific knowledge and competences from farming skills to quality food production, marketing, commercialisation and relationships with consumers and communication managers that will be developed within a self-learning web based course, suitable for blended methodology and oriented to formal and non formal acknowledgement of European Qualifications Framework (EQF) and European Credits for Vocational Education and Training (ECVET) systems.All together the Niche Market Farming project wants to show pathways towards sustainable farming practices and innovative marketing models in order to secure and create jobs in agriculture, especially in rural and less favoured areas."

While the European agriculture is facing an ageing population with transmission issues, a new generation of farmers is rising: young people with no agricultural certification and who are not from farming background. Those new farmers are seeking to develop a more sustainable agriculture while properly earning their lives. More than traditional farmers, they are entrepreneurs. Thus, not only do they need technical agricultural knowledge but also organisational, economic, and entrepreneurial skills.The existing training structures do not meet their needs due to a too dense and too long training course (full-time training programme for several years). Moreover, those new farmers are mostly interested in agroecological and organic practices which are not specifically provided in those courses.The EU and the european countries have identified the need to reshape our agriculture towards greater sustainability but a concrete transition struggle to emerge. Hence, the demand is currently outstripping supply, the demand for organic products in the European Union has highly increased over the last past years : +34% of organic products consumption between 2010 and 2015, whereas the number of producers decreased (AgenceBio, 2016). These trends highlight the importance to tackle the issue of establishment of new and young farmers, especialy in organic farming where an attractive market exists.In addition to having to deal with the difficulties of their farm creation (e. g. land access issues), new farmers must learn quickly and efficiently their new job. Therefore, to support them throughout the process of installation, structures such as agricultural incubator are created, especially in France, but they are sorely lacking training tools. Beyond this specific target group at the origin of the project idea, the project will aim to respond to the needs of young european farmers facing the same issues: lack of entrepreneurial skills and specific organic and agroecological training. The aim of the project is to provide high quality learning opportunities on agroecogical and organic agriculture, entrepreneurial skills, and concrete examples of good practices and tips from European farmers. Targeting young and new farmers, the training programme will be designed according to a capacity building approach based on relevant, customized, innovative and easily accessible tools that can be mobilized by organisations of agricultural training. To achive those objectives, the LEAN project will provide 2 main Intellectual Outputs: O1 : Training programme on agroecological and organic agronomic knoledge and entrepreneurial skills for new and young farmers composed of 10 modules O2 : In depth 15 case studies on accomplished farmers Main results produced within (1) are a training needs assessment, Open Educational Resource modules on agroecological and organic farming and guidelines for learners and facilitators. The training system approach is based on the educational method ‘flipped classroom training’ during which learners use the training resources on their own before engaging discussion with the facilitator. This independent training system will allow every learner to advance at their own pace and to acquire knowledge according to their own specific experience. The case studies (2) will analyse the practices implemented by the farmers and propose feedbacks and tips for the learners. Three case studies per country represented in the consortium will be carried out. Through the combination of online training material, case studies, best practices examples, and face-to-face exchanges, the learning programme will offer a complete and enriching training for new farmers. The training modules will be freely accessible on an online platform where interactions between learners, facilitators and other stakeholders will be encouraged. More generally, the LEAN project is expected to participate to the european agricultural model transition towards more sustainability and viability. The project consortium is composed of six European organisations from five EU countries. The partnership is established between vocational education organisations, research and consulting organisations, and NGO, all of them working in the field of agriculture.

"<< Background >>With the ever-present and increasing threat of climate change but having the possibility of tackling this issue using digital educational tools, transnational cooperation, taking advantage of the interest and desire for such tools in the field, and the need for a more sustainable future in the food market, we applied for this project to jump-start the Short Food Supply Chains (SFSCs).Supporting sustainable solutions of agricultural production in order to slow and decline the rate of climate change is something we wholeheartedly believe in. The many facets of this project hit all of the marks that could change directly affect how the EU approaches climate change in the future. From enabling competitive entrepreneurs in the countryside, to establishing a balance between economic and ecological parallels in agricultural production to respecting old, peasant traditions all within European countries. On a larger scale its potential to build trust across borders, inspire the growth and development of ideas and initiatives and most importantly nourish long term positive impact on the environment in order to combat climate change. The need to establish and support SFSCs is vital to sustainable production ties between farmers/producers, and their customers which have an impact on not just the regional area but the country itself. There is a lack of digital learning tools for the target groups of small and medium-sized farmers and this project could fill that void and is a key step into bringing farming into the 21st century. Taking all of this into consideration, we applied to this project to ensure that these steps be taken to contribute to the effort of combating climate change and creating a positive impact on the environment through sustainability, transnational cooperation, and multi-functioning, environmentally friendly agriculture.<< Objectives >>We want to achieve the support and growth of a resource-efficient society, healthy local landscapes, biodiversity, and to accelerate the transition to sustainable food chain systems that reinforce a more environmentally friendly food market. On a smaller scale gradually becoming more ambitious, we would like to improve the quality and quantity of adult learning in this field to develop green skills in connection with initiating their own direct processing activities of agricultural products with added value to include farm-to-fork strategies in their daily work, making them more market visible using digital tools and increasing their overall digital and entrepreneurial competencies. This will in turn support local and regional farmers in joining the sustainable production movement and establish SFSCs. By teaching local and regional farmers in the EU how to start the on-farm production process while reaching a wider customer audience we aim to avoid selling and long-distance transportation of raw materials to agricultural corporations. This will increase the number of direct sales from farms, supporting and creating a perpetual system of self-sustaining local and regional farms. Supporting skills development, strategies, and methodologies that upgrade the current food system in a more earth-friendly direction creates benefits that are not just local. With all of these positives being felt and shared transnationally we can learn how to tackle more daunting challenges beyond borders with larger scale improvements in training, education, and strategies that will strengthen ties for continued work in the field. With all of these initiatives we can learn how to make better use of limited resources, increase cohesion throughout the EU, and ultimately bring about long term change that leads to a lasting impact.<< Implementation >>In the realm of the project implementation period, that is set up for 24 months, we plan various diverse activities. The project planning has been divided into 7 Work packages (WPs) that are activities of the project from the procedural point of view; and 5 Project Results (PRs) that are factual tangible outputs of the project. For a simpler orientation, we have divided WPs into 4 implementations WPs whic include activities that are directly related to the development of digital content OERs and 3 transversal WPs intersecting the project activities and lasting the whole duration of the project. Among the implementation WPs belong the development of white paper, collecting practical case studies from all partner countries, creation of podcast series in a form of debates and interviews with experts in the fiels, creation a set of inspiration learning materials for small and medium-sized farmers and finally a developed of a web-based training platform. The transversal activities include the overall project management, administration and financial evidence, all monitoring and evaluation activities that includes various evaluation questionnaire surveys, extensive pilot testing and analysing the results and including them to the developed materials to assure the highest quality. Finally, we are going to include broad dissemination activities to reach wide audience and organize 6 multiplier events in 6 countries for the relevant stakeholders, interested parties and also policy makers and public body representatives to raise awarness about the issue of farm-to-fork strategy and the need of support of direct production.<< Results >>We expect the outcomes to range from local and regional to larger EU encompassing successes. To start we bring real experience and knowledge about the issue to people who live on and work on agricultural lands, small and medium-sized farmers and food processors and other relevant parties connected to food production. Through the developed educational (digital) materials, we anticipate the target groups to acquire sufficient knowledge of the practical implementation of on-farm production solutions and farm-to-fork sales which they can utilize, begin to use, start and maintain on their farms to support short food supply chains establishment. The educational materials will keep the targets up to date on current situations and possibilities in partner countries, as well as legal practice and rules, case studies of real examples of innovative solutions in these areas from each partner country, educational entertainment podcast series in form of debate with experts and professionals and innovative educational materials. This is important to keep interest, inspire growth and innovation, promote a shared knowledge of the topic. The educational materials will be logically structured and easy to follow to be digestible for people. We expect the broader public, as well as public representatives, to get acquainted with the issue of short food supply chains and farm-to-fork strategy and to understand the necessity of addressing the issue as soon as possible. The expected result is, therefore, not only the increase of target groups green skills and competence but also raising public awareness on the topic of sustainable farming and what it could do to help combat climate change. We believe that the project is meaningful as it would directly help many ""newcomers"" to start their own direct processing, creating farm products and learning how to create added value to them, reach new customer base and sustain it in long-term perspective with the use of digital marketing strategies of farm products. Indirectly, the project should also influence the quality of life in local communities and rural areas as we aim to support the regional development and community life and reduce the negative effects of cilmate change by leaving the long food supply chains that involve long-distance travelling. We also aim to increase the quality of food that consumers buy and eat on a daily basis. In the long-term perspective, we expect the target groups to engage in implementing innovative farm-to-fork solutions on their farms and focus on green sectoral skills to push the market into a more sustainable and earth friendly state to begin a larger initiative throughout the EU."