<< Background >>With a growing world population estimated by the United Nations to be over 9 billion people by 2050, consumption patterns are changing and it is estimated that demand for food will increase by 70%. Yet, our current farming model is ill-suited to respond to future demands and we will need to make some changes in the agricultural production.A sustainable production would be achieved not only by managing the economics, but also by including other factors such as soil fertility, soil erosion or water use. In this context, digital farming appeared as a promising model to help achieve these objectives through precision technology.Precision agriculture has been defined as a way to “apply the right treatment in the right place at the right time” (Gebbers and Adamchuk, 2010). As an example, precise irrigation methods are developing rapidly in order to save water while improving yields and fruit quality (Precision Agriculture: an opportunity for EU farmers, 2014)In 2019, during the EU’s ‘Digital Day’, 24 EU Member States signed a declaration on ‘A smart and sustainable digital future for European agriculture and rural areas’ which recognises the potential of digital technologies to help tackle important and urgent economic, social, climate and environmental challenges facing the EU's agri-food sector and rural areas. According to Roberto Viola, Director General of DG connect at the European Commission, today people expect to be able to buy food that is high quality, safe, and affordable. Many consumers want to know how our food is produced and to be reassured that this happens with minimum environmental damage and usage of precious resources such as water and energy (The future of farming: How digital can make a difference, 08/03/2020).Digital farming is a way to increase farm efficiency while improving economic and environmental sustainability using Artificial Intelligence, robotics, data analysis and other digital tools and skills. Increased use of digital technologies will also have a positive impact on the quality of life in rural areas, and may attract a younger generation to farming and rural business start-ups. Indeed, according to the EU Agricultural and Farm Economics Briefs of 2017, only 5.6% of all European farms were run by farmers younger than 35 in 2017 while more than 31% of all farmers were older than 65.The “AGRI’s” project aims to provide tools and methodologies to adults’ educators for them to raise awareness regarding precision agriculture and help adults to acquire necessary skills to become entrepreneurs in the agro-food industry using digital technologies.<< Objectives >>With this premises “AGRI Smart” (AGRI’s) Cooperation Partnership project aims at:Objective 1: Promote agriculture entrepreneurship as a sustainable farming model;Objective 2: Develop precision agriculture in Europe to answer the growing need of food and promote a new model of farming towards a more sustainable one;Objective 3: Empower adults with digital and entrepreneurial skills in the agro-food industry to become actors of a sustainable future and become more competitive actors at the same time.<< Implementation >>The activities that will be implemented during the project life-time will be the following:-Production of a Guide addressed to all adults interested in the topic. For this purpose, partners will use survey for needs analysis, research, interview with professionals, and peer-review methodologies;-Production of a Training Format addressed to adults’ trainers/educators. Partners will be implementing the output through research making, peer-review methodology, Piloting of the Training Format, Local workshop implementation, feedback collection;-Creation of a social community to be used by farmers interested in/using precision agriculture and willing to share and/or discuss about their experience regarding precision agriculture practices.<< Results >>In order to reach the objectives, the project’s partners will produce the following results:-1 guide which explains the concept of precision agriculture and how it can help to reach a more sustainable model of producing. The guide will contain a state-of-the-art in the involved countries regarding precision technologies applied to agricultural industry with some examples of best precision agriculture practices in order to show the benefits of using them and encourage future entrepreneurs to consider them. The guide will be addressed to adults interested in the topic. -1 Training Format for adults’ educators interested in promoting agricultural entrepreneurship in a sustainable way. The Training Format will provide the target group with some tools and methodologies to be used and reproduced at the local level in order to give new skills and knowledge to young adults that would be interested in agricultural entrepreneurship on how to start a business in agriculture. The Training Format will contain modules dealing with entrepreneurial skills applied to agriculture, including digital skills for young adults to be prepared for a new farming model (data analysis, Artificial Intelligence, social media communication, etc…).-1 social community on a web platform where farmers can share their experience with precision technologies used in their agricultural business, discuss with other farmers regarding these technologies and the data they collected to improve the farming methods and get better quality and more sustainable products.

<< Objectives >>The project objectives are:- enhance and upskill the competences of municipal employees in order to enable them to design climate neutral cities strategies, such as Climate City Contracts- raise awareness of municipal employees regarding EU policies focusing on tackling climate change in cities- equip the target groups with innovative digital learning tools that enable distance learning;- raise awareness about issues related to urban sustainability<< Implementation >>The activities that will be implemented are:- Development of a Roadmap for Designing Local Strategies for Climate Neutral Cities to upskill municipal employees;- Development of a «Transition to Climate Neutral Cities» training course;- Development of «Success Stories of initiatives for the Transition to climate neutrality in cities» videos;- Development of a «Transition to Climate Neutral Cities» Online Hub.<< Results >>- Foster motivation, skills, and mindset of municipal employees and elected officers regarding the benefits of sustainable urban development and the transition to climate neutrality;- Raise municipal employees and elected officers’ awareness about the importance of EU policies supporting climate neutral cities and specifically the role of Climate City contracts. - Create an innovative digital learning system on urban climate neutrality in order to improve the quality of training and education;

Agriculture and agri-food industry represent a very important sectors in all countries involved in the project. In the last years. In the last years, more and more knowledge is required in the disciplines necessary to support innovation in the sector: innovative technologies, innovative models, innovative designs etc. Everyone in the sector must have increasingly specialized skills: digital, more useful than ever for certifications, supply chain traceability, online transactions (blockchain, value chain). Even in the food sector many companies have to deal with the mismatch between real skills possessed by their workers and skills actually required.Blockchain adoption in agri-food industry has the potential to simplify and integrate agriculture supply chains but the level of its application is still very low in all EU countries. It has been demonstrated that Blockchain technology can positively influence two relevant aspects of the food supply chain:- Traceability: help to reduce food waste, provide reliable information regarding the origins of food- Optimization of Food Supply Chain: allow farmers to properly set their prices and optimize the quantities of products- Crop Insurance: provide more visibility across the supply chain- Transactions: help farmers to sell commodities, lowering transaction fees, prevent price coercion, provide lower costsThe objective of the project is to improve the knowledge and skills on blockchain technology of people working in agri-food sector by developing and testing a new training module and by providing the agri-food operators with an interactive learning platform to be used for training purposes.The project will be implemented by 6 organizations, having different experiences and knowledge but all working in or with agri-food sector: Rural Development Agency, University, VET provider, Industrial Research Laboratory and Innovation and Technology Transfer Center, SME, University and Organization representing the Agricultural Cooperatives.It is expected that the project will generate some very concrete results such as: - Improvement of specific skills and competences of farmers and agri-food operators required to adopt the Blochian technologies in their work- Development of 2 innovative outputs (Training Modules on Blockchain Technology and Learning platform) that will support the project partners and target groups to further improve their knowledge by organizing additional trainings and providing support to farmers and operators on application of Blockchain technology in agri-food sector. - Improvement of transnational connectivity among organizations working on development of skills in agri-food sector.

<< Background >>Healthy and resilient societies depend on giving nature the space it needs. The recent COVID-19 pandemic makes the need to protect and restore nature all the more urgent. The pandemic is raising awareness of the links between our own health and the health of ecosystems. (…) The five main direct drivers of biodiversity loss – changes in land and sea use, overexploitation, climate change, pollution, and invasive alien species – are making nature disappear quickly (EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030-May 2020).“Biodiversity preservation in rural and maritime areas of EU islands” (BioIslands) project is focused on three of the main sectors related to biodiversity preservation. Increased land-use intensity in agriculture has caused an alarming decline in farmland biodiversity during the last century. Likewise, there is great concern over the degradation of pastoral landscapes by invasive species and soil erosion, the undermining of common property systems, and unsustainable land-use changes, such as mining, inappropriate afforestation and unsustainable agricultural practices.Currently, nearly half of the Earth’s terrestrial surface is transformed by agriculture and pastoralism, and thus, the contribution of agricultural and pastoralism areas to biodiversity is critical for successful long-term conservation.In addition, biodiversity has many key roles in ecosystems, and many elements of biodiversity support fish species and therefore also fisheries. At the same time, cooperation fisheries also often affect seabed biodiversity. Furthermore, fisheries may also change the composition of fish communities, and changes in fish communities can matter to seabed biodiversity. Many ecosystems are affected by cumulative impacts. Although they may not be individually catastrophic, the combined effect of pressures can result in loss or fragmentation of habitats. Furthermore, it can result in ecosystem changes and shifts in biodiversity, associated with the removal of habitat-specific or functional important species.This preamble emphasises an essential intervention in these three sectors and more specifically on the leading players (i.e. farmers, shepherds and fishermen) who should be enabled to actuate biodiversity preservation strategies and actions in their daily work.The BioIslands project meets the needs of our partnership in different ways. First thing, all partners individualised a common need in their country of operation. Secondly, all partners of the Consortium have experience in the matter of at least of the main key pillars of the project (i.e. adult learners, non formal education, agriculture, pastoralism and fishery, technologies) and participating in the project, through the exchange of knowledge and skills inside the Consortium they will be able to acquire comprehensive experience in the other pillars, improving their professional profile. Lastly, the Results produced in the project will enable them to enrich the pool of tools/methodologies they own that can be employed with the selected target group but also other targets, due to their versatile feature.Farmers, shepherds and fishermen care about their job and know the importance of biodiversity preservation in the rural and maritime areas. The challenge lays in adapting their way of work, handed down from generation to generation with the increasing product demand while at the same time not over-exploit the land and the sea. As their job has a specific working hours period it is difficult for them to enroll in physical training courses. Thus, BioIslands project will develop a high-quality up-skilling e-Learning course that will provide them with the required competences and skills as well as providing them with a useful technological tool that will support them in elaborating biodiversity preservation strategies based on various indicators.<< Objectives >>BioIslands project objectives are:O1 foster biodiversity preservation in rural and maritime areas of European islands;O2 provide an adequate and qualitative learning opportunity for farmers, shepherds and fishermen in biodiversity preservation;O3 develop user-friendly digital instruments that can support farmers, shepherds and fishermen in preserve biodiversity in their daily work.<< Implementation >>Activities- Implementation of a transnational focus group with researchers and professors to define which competences related to biodiversity preservation can be transmitted with digital learning (total of 20 participants).- Implementation of the piloting of the R1 with the involvement of 5 farmers, 5 shepherds and 5 fishermen per partner.- Implementation of the piloting of the R2 with the involvement of 5 farmers, 5 shepherds and 5 fishermen per partner.- Implementation of one International Biodiversity Day in 2023 in which partner will involve stakeholders, public authorities at the international level to promote project Results and outcomes achieved so far. Based on their availability, adult learners that will be involved in the testing of R1 and R2 will participate to share their direct experience.- Implementation of one Multiplier Event per each partner with an audience of 20 between stakeholders, public authorities and the general public.<< Results >>Project Results are: - Research report at Consortium level containing current biodiversity status in rural and maritime areas of the countries involved, data analysis of the current level of knowledge and up-skill needs of farmers, shepherds and fishermen in the matter of biodiversity preservation, a grid of required competences for farmers, shepherds and fishermen to implement efficient biodiversity preservation strategies in their work.- Web Platform containing: R1 three E-learning courses, which will be developed based on the findings of the Research Report, one on Agriculture Biodiversity, one on Pastoralism Biodiversity and one on Fishery Biodiversity. The course will be designed in an interactive fashion in order to make the learning process easier and enjoyable for the user. At the end of each course, the user will be provided with a video tutorial about the Biodiversity Analysis & Strategy section of the platform (R2) containing an analysis system of elements and indicators to assess the environmental impact of the area, individualize the presence of alien species as well as providing a specific plan containing suggestion for intervention.Intangible results of the project will be:- Promotion and raising awareness regarding the importance of preserving biodiversity in rural and maritime areas in EU islands and beyond.- Adoption of project Results by different entities that will integrate them in their training offer.- Consolidation of cooperation framework allowing partner organisations to be active on the topic exchanging information and proposing follow-up initiatives, also with the involvement of interested stakeholders.

Youth unemployment rate in the EU-28 increased levels of poverty and risk of social exclusion of young people. This project intends to foster sense of initiative and entrepreneurship among young people and to stimulate them to be entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurs in order to build new opportunities for the future. Potential for self-employment of young people have not yet been fully realized in the European Union. Many young people have professional and vocational, but not entrepreneurial skills. They lack relevant information and financial resources that could encourage them to start own business, rent a space and buy equipment. Project idea is about networking of coworking spaces and uses across the Europe and raising awareness about its potential among public administration at regional and local level in order to boost further coworking communities and self-employment possibilities of young people. Coworking is a style of work that involves a shared working environment and independent activity. Coworking users are mostly young entrepreneurs who use the space for work, cooperation, professional development and socializing. In coworking space they can find new possibilities of mentorship and learning from experienced professionals who also use coworking space. Coworking spaces provide global networking opportunities and can be a central point for the promotion of entrepreneurship among young people.The Project is about networking of coworking spaces and users across the Europe and raising awareness of decision makers on the coworking concept and its role in promoting entrepreneurship culture among young people. The partners involved are 7, coming form: Croatia, Spain, Belgium, Latvia and Hungary. Partners have different background and represent private companies, public institutions and civil society organisations. All partners have been involved in coworking space and community management in their countries and identified possibilities and need to support young people self-employment via coworking concept. The project aims to stimulate entrepreneurship of young people, to motivate them to be responsible and active citizens, and to improve business ecosystem for young entrepreneurs through better cooperation between public, private and civil sector.