The AgriSkills project intends to develop and improve the level of key competencies and skills among young unemployed adults (aged 15-29) in rural areas and areas with a high concentration of young, unemployed adults, with the purpose of helping them find employment or develop their own businesses in agriculture-related fields.

In some partner countries, inmates and those recently released from prison facilities will also be targeted, due the fact that agriculture skills can be a great help in reintegration.

This project also intends to support skills that will help young adults create their own profitable businesses by providing them training materials related to business and entrepreneurship.

Each partner in the AgriSkills project will conduct their own investigation of the competency profile of the target population in their respective countries.  In particular, we will assess the level of knowledge the target group has about various agricultural areas such as: organic farming, apiculture, agritourism, horticulture, viticulture, and fish farming.

After identifying the training needs of the youths from rural areas, the AgriSkills partnership will develop innovative teaching materials. In addition to agricultural skills, this project will develop modules to support the development of  ICT, entrepreneurial and social skills, based on the results of the needs analysis for each partner country.

Specific objectives of the AgriSkills project are:
– To raise the employability level of young adults from rural and remote areas and areas with high concentrations of young unemployed adults;
– To bridge the gap between agricultural labor market needs and the lack of knowledge and competences of young adults;
– To provide personalized training to young adults, according to the needs identified at the national level;
– To help keep the young adult rural population employed and prevent further migration to big cities;
– To maintain and improve economic activity in rural areas and preserve and improve upon traditional means of livelihood;
– To support  a more competitive labor market in the European agricultural sector;
– To improve the living conditions of young adults by offering guidance and support to the target group in developing their own businesses, thus increasing their income potential;
– To use the AgriSkills partnership’s networks to disseminate the project’s products in order to attract the interest of policy makers, stakeholders, and potential beneficiaries, and thus, to have a high impact at the European level;
– To transfer not only agricultural skills to young adults, but also ICT skills, entrepreneurial and social skills, with the purpose of supporting them in creating their own business;
– To offer reintegration support for the young adults recently released from prison

The project will last 36 months and is structured around 4 Intellectual Outputs (IO) with the following responsible partners:

  • MAP of needs- lead partner TUM from Germany and co-lead partner CPIP from Romania
  • AgriSkills Course Package-lead partner New EDU from Slovakia and co-leader ARID from Poland
  • Digital Component- DEFOIN from Spain and co-leader COMU from Turkey
  • New entrepreneurial virtual initiative- CPIP from Romania and co-leader Defoin from Spain