AGRETAIN - REgenerative susTainable food chAINs through mArket Gardening

Farming in EU is essential to livelihoods and local development while facing many challenges such as limited resources and growing environmental challenges posed by climate change and the related impact of human activity. Market Gardening could be a solution towards this problem by revisiting reliable traditional methods of agricultural production improved through decades of advancement and combined with modern techniques. It constitutes a bio-intensive method that focuses on the environment, farmers’ well-being and income whilst promoting rural development and sustainability through the efficient use of small areas of land. For the successful application of market gardening further support is needed for the workforce, more knowledge about the impact of this business model, more awareness raising and involvement of a wider range of actors. Training in market gardening is still absent in the majority of EU countries since this model requires a combination of skills and competences that HEIs/ VET centers/ Schools haven’t included yet in their curricula and trainings, demanding multidisciplinary, managerial, and cross-sectoral expertise. Higher education and vocational training could play a critical role in this transition integrating dedicated curricula and trainings linked with specific credits via micro credential system. AGRETAIN aims to develop and deliver an innovative approach for teaching market gardening, by developing specific learning resources addressing students, neo farmers and farming practitioners. AGRETAIN will deliver a training needs analysis and develop a curriculum in the field for students, neo farmers and farming practitioners, exploring the key areas which are critical for the implementation of this innovative gardening business model. Based on this knowledge, AGRETAIN will design and pilot learning units which will incorporate a mix of training methodologies. An e-learning platform will offer accessible resources.