OUR PROJECT
Organic Agriculture Innovation Platform is a project funded by the The European Commission’s Erasmus+ Programme (Key Action 2 – KA 204 – Strategic partnerships for adult education) and it brings organizations from different countries partnering together to develop new innovative resources to the benefit of the citizens, more specifically farmers, adult education providers and local CSOs working in the field of agriculture and environment. Educating adults about organic food production is the focus of this partnership project. Forum CSRD is the lead organization partnering with Serbia Organica (Serbia), Eko Zadar (Croatia), Bulgarian School of Politics “Dimitry Panitza”, Macedonia Export (North Macedonia) and Good Earth (North Macedonia).
The overall objective of this project is to increase the knowledge of adult course providers about organic production, marketing and branding of products through new and innovative curriculum.
Specific objectives are: securing jobs and profitability through market driven organic production and growing opportunities through organic agriculture. One of the goals that would be achieved through this project is to teach and train new farmer based entrepreneurs to plan and establish viable organic farm businesses or advance their careers. The trainings will provide further education for adult trainers to organize courses for individuals who want to start and develop an organic farm and for experienced farmers who want to convert from conventional to organic farming and gain valuable job skills to increase their career opportunities in agriculture.
The overall and the specific objectives will be accomplished by a broad research and creation of a baseline study of the current situation with organic farming in all of the countries included in the project; trainings for adults and adult course providers that will enable them to conduct courses, by gaining new skills about starting organic production and branding of products; developing a new innovative Curriculum and Handbooks on organic farming and marketing as a learning guides (free downloadable pdf files), an online open educational resource for adult learners about organic food production and entrepreneurship. The Organic Agriculture Innovation Platform will provide a wide range of practical knowledge for organic farmers and adult trainers that will help to improve farming practices. Target groups are adult course providers and smaller agriculture producers and local CSOs.