The project „Bridging Generations in Agroecology” (BAG) responds to challenges affecting rural areas in Europe. Agroecology is an answer to the dramatic consequences of commercialization relationship between humans and ecosystems. It leads towards the change in food production, distribution, consumption with the respect to social and environmental justice and care for the Planet. Small food systems supported in agroecology provide local knowledge, cultivate local identity and culture, strengthen sustainable rural development. The sustainability of the food systems in European countries is now well recognized as highly critical, in terms of environment, biodiversity protection, health, and nutrition of the population. While a strong trend of aging in agriculture and rural communities, new entrants – often from different background - want to recreate food systems, practicing agroecology, and investing in rural development. New entrants often without any agricultural/nor rural background- are at the same time highly promising for Europe and poorly supported. This project seeks to support new entrants installation in agroecology exploring a determining factor of the success of installation: knowledge transmission. Organic agriculture and agroecology are recognized to be job creators. European countries, at policy and society levels, are facing a crucial need to guarantee a future of sustainable rural development: supporting knowledge transmission between elder farmers and new entrants while supporting knowledge sharing amongst existing farmers and educators. The project Bridging Generations in Agroecology will implement a partnership of 6 organizations and institutions from Poland, Germany, France, Netherlands, Italy, and Switzerland: ZIARNO - Ecological-Cultural Association working in the field of education for sustainability, HNEE - University for Sustainable Development in Eberswalde (Germany), Toekomstboeren - a Dutch new entrant farmers association, InterAfocg - a French farmers network, Schola Campesina - an Italian agroecology school and Swiss School of Biodynamic Agriculture. All partners conduct activities related to adult education in agroecology. The main aim of the project would be: raising knowledge and skills in the field of education on agroecology and exchange on facilitation methods of knowledge transmission between generations. Specific objectives: 1. developing educational methods in the field of agroecology, including the method “farmer to farmer” as an example of a tool used to disseminate knowledge and folk high school pedagogy 2. giving an updated overview of the existing mechanisms of knowledge transmission in agroecology in our countries. as well as policy recommendations for policymakers, through a publication on agroecology and online films, webinars and podcasts. The main target groups would be: adults interested in agroecology, starting their own sustainable initiatives in rural areas like an organic farm, garden, eco-enterprise, food-cooperative and so on. We will work as well with adult education institutions and farmers’ organizations active (or wishing to be more active) in the field of knowledge transmission in agroecology. The intellectual results of the BAG project are: 1. Developing a guidebook and course curricula in the field of agroecology, including using the education method “farmer to farmer” as an example of a tool used to disseminate knowledge and folk high school pedagogy. 2. Creating curricula and abstracts for 4-5 courses in the fields related to agroecology, addressed to those who wish to switch to eco-initiatives in rural settings, 3. Elaborating educational material for online use, such as webinars, videos and podcasts presenting best practices in knowledge transfer between generations of farmers. Other results of the project would be: strengthening the knowledge and skills of partnership members in the field of adult education in agroecology, particularly the farmer-to-farmer knowledge and skills transfer and development of civic skills in farmers community; fostering international cooperation in European network of organizations working in the field of agroecology; raising awareness of farmers, teachers, and decision-makers in partner countries on the impact of farming on the environment and climate change and promoting the environment and climate-friendly solutions in agriculture. What is innovative in the project is linking education in agroecology with methods and ideas of adult education, represented especially by folk high schools, the horizontal education method “farmer to farmer” and using online tools: podcasts, webinars and films. We believe that the promotion of agroecological solutions is one of the most important tasks facing governments and residents of the EU in the face of the challenges associated with climate change and the role of agriculture in this area.
Leading an international project allow participants to broaden experiences of knowledge-transfer methods. This project allowed us to learn from organisations in other European countries. We learned about different ways in which they work with farmers and foster the creation and exchange of knowledge. All project Partners working in the field of education in Agroecology realized there is a significant gap between the expectations of new entrants in agriculture and the vocational education provided to become a farmer. Through this project we wanted to address those needs: - opening up to new ways of knowledge transmission in agroecology through different kind of educational initiatives, including peer-to-peer exchanges. - enhancing the role of farmers in the process of knowledge transmission, and identify new pathways of collaborating with scientists and teachers - encourage dialogue between the generations to foster farms succession. We also planned to create new, easy-accecible tools for agroecological education such as a guide on Agreoecology, videos, podcasts and curricula of short courses.
The BAG project responded to challenges affecting rural areas in Europe. The sustainability of food systems in European countries is now seen as extremely important for the environment, biodiversity protection, public health and nutrition. While there is a strong trend towards obsolescence in agriculture and rural communities, new entrants – often from different backgrounds – want to redesign food systems, practice agroecology and invest in rural development. These new entrants, who often do not have an agricultural or rural background, are at the same time very promising for Europe and are insufficiently supported. European countries, at policy and society levels, are facing a crucial need to guarantee a future of sustainable rural development: supporting knowledge transmission between elder farmers and new entrants while supporting knowledge sharing among existing farmers and educators. This project has sought to support new entrants in the adoption of agroecology. The main aim of the project was to raise knowledge and skills in the field of education on agroecology and foster the exchange on facilitation methods of knowledge transfer between generations.