The Covid-19 pandemic has led many sectors into digital transformations. Entrepreneurs in the agri-food sector have expressed their sense of lacking the training needed to make the transition online. In May this year the DigiFE: “Digital Readiness for Agri-Food Entrepreneurship Training: Addressing the digital competence of VET educators” project was launched with an online kick-off meeting. The project main objectives are:
- Addressing digital transformation through development of digital readiness, resilience and capacity.
- Adapting vocational education and training to labour market needs.
- Contributing to innovation in vocational education and training.
The overarching objective of this project therefore is to assess the digital skills and competencies of VET educators and to upskill VET educators with innovative pedagogies informed by labour market requirements to ensure that rural agrifood entrepreneurs are equipped with the digital skills to pivot and adapt their businesses to online markets. Developing skills in new digital capabilities, will provide opportunity to increase rural routes to market generating sales online, increase inclusion, resilience and diversity for local food producers throughout Europe.
The project will help to:
- Create educational resources to transform VET pedagogies to ensure that VET educators can support the rural food entrepreneur with training and resources in their transition to online platforms and technologies to enhance market reach and sales capacity.
In doing so, it will also help to:
2. Prevent market segmentation and exclusion of rural agri-food entrepreneurs who are often isolated due to their rural location and skill deficiencies in digitalisation.
3. To improve digital literacy and confidence in those providing training to rural agri-food entrepreneurs.
The project consortium consists of well experienced and ambitious organisations. This will ensure achieving the project objectives smoothly and effectively and bring high quality results. Meet our team:
- ATU – Atlantic Technological University (former GMIT) – higher education institute based in Galway, Ireland. ATU is a multi-discipline Institute, serving a diverse student body and is involved in research, commercial consultancy and community activities.
- Macra na Feirme is Irish voluntary organisation for rural young people aged between 17 and 35. The organisation has a nationwide network of 200 clubs with almost 9,000 young members.
- The Confederazione Italiana Agricoltori Toscana (CIA Toscana) is a professional farmers association. CIA is organised in provincial, regional and national associations which are legally independent. CIA Toscana is based in Florence and represent 20.000 farmers and more than 70.000 associated. The mission of Macra na Feirme is to contribute to the sustainable development of rural communities in Ireland by supporting the social, economic, cultural, personal development.
- The Polish Farm Advisory and Training Centre Not-For-Profit is a private not-for-profit legal entity which provides an effective consultancy and comprehensive advisory services for Polish agri-businesses and individual farmers in order to help to establish their agri-businesses successfully from the start, to develop it effectively, and to stimulate its growth in future, ensuring economic viability.
