<< Background >>Global warming and climate change are challenging the ways we live and work. At the same time, they are evoking serious consequences for human health; epidemic (e.g. coronavirus) biodiversity and ecosystems.Climate action is at the heart of the European Green Deal – an ambitious package of measures ranging from ambitiously cutting greenhouse gas emissions, to investing in cutting-edge research and innovation, to preserving (EC 2019 28 member and 4 non--EU country based semester reports, EU Green Deal 2020 report, Paris Agreement, 2017 Lisbon Contract.). Nearly 60% of the global population live in urban areas. Global population is projected to reach 9.8 billion by 2050 as UN states. Industrial agriculture produces enough food to feed the world as a whole (2790 kcal/person/day in 2006-08), but 32% of all food produced is wasted. The logistics of food production and transportation are largely to blame although in developed countries a substantial amount of food is wasted at the point of consumption. As a result, overall global food availability is lower than it would otherwise be, requiring the planet’s agricultural system to produce additional food to compensate for the wasted food production. Consequently, The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimates 795 million of the 7.3 billion people in the world, or one person in nine, suffer from chronic undernourishment. In order to feed the population in 2050, we need to produce an additional 6,000 trillion kcal per year. However, conventional industrial agriculture is not sustainable. It is one of the most harmful industries to our planet, responsible for:• 70% of the planet’s water use• up to 24% of greenhouse gas emissions• degradation of soil and groundwater pollutionContinual sloughing of fields, combined with heavy use of fertilizers, has degraded soils across the world to the point where arable land is now lost at the alarming rate of over 100,000 square kilometres every year, far outstripping the pace of the natural processes that replace diminished soil. Thus, nearly a third of worldwide adequate or high-quality food-producing land has been lost.In Europe, the majority of the population live in big cities: The high rates of urbanization across partners’ regions resulted with unemployment, reduction of clean organic food supply and greenhouse gas emission. The situation triggers long term problems especially in young people, like social exclusion, poverty and sickness. To decrease unemployment’s rate and ensure clean food supply , save the environment, save the biodiversity, the EU great deal states that ''Upskilling, ICT knowledge, creating new opportunities and improving innovative solutions are the musts’’ Parallel to the above mentioned issues, the EU 2030 SMART goals states that: ‘’For a sustainable, digital and green economic growth, EU needs more eco-digital entrepreneurs''. Yet, the level of these sorts of initiatives have not been at desired level in our countries (EC 2019 Semester reports. Bearing this in mind, with the global outbreak, the rate of unemployment amongst young people is at the highest level after 2011 (Eurostat Jan 2021). Besides, secure, clean and organic food supply/demand remains a huge challenge (EC Farm to fork strategy, 2021). Besides, the Covid pandemic has affected economies and social life especially in big cities. Regarding this, EU Green Deal, UN 2030 Climate Agenda and EU 2050 targets state that ''we need more innovative, inclusive, technology-based and future skills required tools to find solutions to unemployment, climate change, and secure food supply/demand''.<< Objectives >>ECHOING wants to provide opportunities for entrepreneurial empowerment to youth in the field of vertical farming (in-door farming), which is a growing business sector, which was worth $3 billion globally (2019) and it is predicted to grow to $22 billion) through producing high-quality learning and practical orientation resources and digital modules of learning. ECHOING score is to enhance the hard/soft entrepreneurial skills of youth in a more authentic environment where they can gain real experience in time management, professional communication, and cooperation, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and gain confidence while working for a real purpose. Our primary purpose is to educate YOUTH, public and YOUTH WORKERS and educators in vertical farming business field to decrease air pollution, fight against climate change and increase employability skills of young people.CONCRETE OBJECTIVES::- To develop an education package on building a vertical farm for the target group of young people aged 17-30 and youth workers, including high-quality blended/hybrid learning materials, combining theoretical background with all practical technical, organizational, legal, and financial aspects of building a vertical farm. - To pilot a digital educational resources with non-formal methodological approach: e-learning modules (See Production of the Results section). - To support the young people in developing their vertical farm-related businesses. - To promote the importance of opportunities of vertical farms,.- To fight against climate change.- To raise employment rate.- To promote how easy to grow organic food in cities' limited facilities.- To develop the entrepreneurial mindset and related hard/soft skills in young people in the field of VERTICAL farming business initiatives and start-ups.- To increase the quality of youth work by introduction new fields in youth work- To organise an EU-wide outreach and inclusion campaigns- To establish a small vertical farm:-To equip young people, youth workers, youth associations and wider communities with the skills and competencies to take innovative actions on climate change.-To build the capacities of youth organizations in the field of eco-urban entrepreneurship-To increase capacities of the partners' organizations in the management of eco-urban entrepreneurship projects.-To increase competencies of the youth workers in the field of eco-urban entrepreneurship-To strengthen European collaboration of the participating organizations-To increase experience in the management of long-term projects with multiple partners<< Implementation >>During the project's life time, the following activities will be implemented: A) TRANSNATIONAL PROJECT MEETINGS:● Transnational Project Meeting 1 (Kick-Off) will be held in France. ● Transnational Project Meeting 2 will be held in Turkey.● Transnational Project Meeting 3 will be held in Austria. ● Transnational Project Meeting 4 will be held in the Netherlands.● Transnational Project Meeting 5 will be held in Portugal.● Bi- monthly online cooperation and communication meetings will be held (20 meetings)B) PRODUCTİON OF THE PROJECT RESULTS:● R1. Eco-Friendly Business creation handbook for young people● R2. ECO-Friendly Training Toolkit for Trainers● R3. ECO-Friendly Online modules and Web Platform.● R4. Beyond Acting on Climate Change!.● R5. Feed Your City Campaign.C) IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RESULTS:● R1 Feed Your City Campaign will be run during the project and after its compilation.● R2. Beyond Acting on Climate Change!.virtual seminars and webinars will be implemented: We have planned implementing 5 seminars and 5 webinars. However, implementing those seminars and webinars shall be increased, namely, 5+5 can be 10+10. D) IMPLEMENTING OTHER ACTIVITIES:● 1 International Multiplier Event will be implemented in France. ● 1 Sample Vertical Farm will be established in France to show the opportunities of Vertical Farms to the targeted groups. ● Various stakeholder visits during the project's implementation process will be organized..● 2 big networking conferences will be organized.● Various newsletters will be published to promote the project. ● Networking activities with cross-sector actors, such as VET providers, businesses, adult educators, SMEs in the field of farming and Vertical farming initiatives. ● Networking activities with formal education entities, such as schools, VET schools, universities' farming, business, engineering, food and IT departments.<< Results >>RESULT 1 Eco-Friendly Business creation hand book for young people which includes:1- integrating methodologies of self-learning supporting them in giving shape to and developing their vertical farming entrepreneurial ideas - provides useful information, VERTİCAL farming entrepreneurial skills development exercises and practical guidelines for actual/prospective youth entrepreneurs in the planning and running of their own business. RESULT 2: ECO-Friendly Training Toolkit for Trainers. The Toolkit will integrate guidelines and methods of NFE tailored to the needs of youth workers willing to implement educational programmes to empower prospective entrepreneurs.RESULT 3: Online modules and Web Platform. Partners will produce a specific Web Platform with integrated eLearning modules in multiple languages targeted at an audience of youth prospective entrepreneurs in Europe. The modules will provide the target with useful and practical information and exercises supporting them in the design and development of their own VERTICAL farms.RESULT 4: Beyond Acting on Climate Change! will be developed and the whole community will be educated and informed about the potential of vertical farmings. ''Turn the ambitious climate crises into opportunity'' and ''Feed your City'' RESULT 5: ''Feed Your City'' With the RESULT we will aim to develop a campaign starting from local to Europe level. The campaign will aim to increase produce and consume organic food/plants in homes/gardens/ even in empty rooms for families and companies. Regarding this organised outreach and communicationcampaigns ''ECHOING+'' will be part of the RESULT.OTHER TANGIBLE RESULT 1: During the implementation of the project, a small sample model vertical farm business will be created. In this way, young people will see how they can establish the business in practice.Multiplier Event: 1 International Multiplier events will be carried out to spread the project at EU level and its tangible RESULTS. 5 face to face TPMs.Bi-monthly meetings. SM accounts.Newsletters (20).An established vertical farm. Outcomes ● Increased capacities of the partners organisations in the management of eco-urban entrepreneurship projects.● Increased competences of the youth workers in the field of eco-urban entrepreneurship● Strengthened European collaboration of the participating organisations: Greater understanding achieved among partner organizations and the wider audience of NGOs andstakeholders on how the present educational offer connects with the educational needs of youth in the entrepreneurial field as well as on how to overcome the methodological shortcomings identified.● Increased experience in management of long-term projects with multiple partners● Increased capacity for networking.● Increased the cross-sectoral collaboration in the field of youth work.● Increased collaboration with the Associated Partners representing Universities, Local Authorities and Schools● Organised big founding conferences.● Piloted a digital educational resources with non-formal methodological approach: e-learning modules.● Increased the quality of youth work by introduction new fields in youth work● Organised an EU-wide outreach and inclusion campaigns that at least 1 million people reached. ● Developed an education package on building a vertical farm for the target group of young people aged 17-30 and youth workers, including high-quality blended/hybrid learning materials, combining theoretical background with all practical technical, organizational, legal, and financial aspects of building a vertical farm. ● Promoted the importance of opportunities of vertical farms.●Fought against climate change smartly.● Raised employment rate among the targeted groups at least 75%.