Erasmus+ Project: Training in Agriculture and Post-Harvest of Fruits and Vegetables through Sustainable Best Practices

Agriculture is one of the most important socioeconomic activities in many European Union countries and a key sector for the development and sustainability of rural areas. In recent decades, rural communities have suffered dramatic depopulation and are also facing other challenges such as territorial imbalances and a lack of generational renewal. Unemployment in rural areas primarily affects services and agriculture.

Furthermore, the following circumstances often occur in the agricultural sector: There is a large proportion of small farms, where farmers only dedicate part of their time to farming, which hinders their professional development. The spatial dispersion of businesses makes access to training difficult. The average age of farmers is very high, with low levels of formal education. Temporary work predominates. The precariousness of temporary workers makes it difficult to provide adequate training. There is a growing need to incorporate new management-related content due to changes in standards for quality, food safety, the environment, and occupational risk prevention. Faced with the challenge of operating in a larger but more competitive market, it is necessary to consolidate those factors that help prevent the abandonment of agricultural activity, improve the training of its professionals, and increase competitiveness. Among these, the design of training activities for a productive sector characterized by a lack of training opportunities adapted to its specific characteristics is particularly important.