How can Europe prepare the next generation of professionals for climate-smart agriculture and forestry, in a context shaped by competing priorities and difficult trade-offs?
Climate-smart agriculture increasingly demands a broad set of competences: while technical knowledge remains essential, it must be complemented by skills such as systems thinking, data literacy, collaboration and the ability to balance environmental objectives with economic realities. For vocational education and training, this means evolving curricula and learning methods to reflect the real conditions in which farmers and agri-food professionals operate.
This was at the heart of the discussions at the recent EVECSA meeting held in January in Kälviä, Finland, hosted by KPEDU. Bringing together partners from across Europe, the meeting focused on the role of vocational education in equipping learners not only with technical skills, but also with the capacity to navigate complexity, disagreement and change.
Collaboration as a core competence
Within the Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs) developed through EVECSA, cooperation between vocational schools, higher education institutions, farmers, companies, researchers and public authorities is key. These partnerships ensure that training stays relevant, that innovation is grounded in practice, and that learners are exposed to multiple perspectives along the value chain.
This emphasis on collaboration was reflected in an interactive exercise, in which the meeting participants engaged in active dialogues around a set of debated questions currently shaping the future of agriculture. The exercise was designed to mirror a similar activity previously carried out with young people, with the aim of practising perspective-taking and constructive dialogue.
They discussed questions such as the balance between technology and tradition, the distribution of costs between consumers and producers in the green transition, the challenges faced by young farmers seeking to invest in sustainable practices, and the gap between political ambitions and on-the-ground realities. Rather than seeking quick answers, the exercise encouraged participants to understand the reasoning behind different positions.
For EVECSA, this type of dialogue highlights an often-overlooked dimension of skills development. Climate-smart agriculture is not only about choosing the “right” technical solution, but about navigating conflicting expectations, interests and constraints. Creating space for dialogue helps learners and professionals build the capacity to work together, even when perspectives differ.
Attracting the next generation
Alongside upskilling the current workforce, partners also discussed how to make agricultural education more attractive to younger generations, as they noted that interest in agriculture is often shaped well before formal training begins. They explored early engagement activities in schools, hands-on workshops and creative formats such as agricultural summer camps, where children can explore food production, sustainability and nature in an engaging and accessible way.
The meeting in Finland reinforced a shared understanding among partners: developing climate-smart agriculture requires more than technical expertise. It depends on strong collaboration, open dialogue and education systems that prepare learners – from an early age – to engage with complexity. As EVECSA’s Centres of Vocational Excellence continue to grow, these insights will inform how partners design training, work together and inspire the next generation of climate-smart professionals.
To learn about all about EVECSA visit https://climatesmart4agri.eu/ and follow us on Facebook and Linkedin.
About the project
EVECSA – European Vocational Excellence for Climate Smart Agriculture is a project funded by EACEA.
Partners
- BYGHOLM LANDBRUGSSKOLE (Denmark, coordinator)
- ASMILDKLOSTER LANDBRUGSSKOLE (Denmark)
- JORDBRUGETS UDDANNELSESCENTER ARHUS (Denmark)
- VIDEN DJURS (Denmark)
- FBCD AS (Denmark)
- AARHUS UNIVERSITET (Denmark)
- Departament d’Acció Climàtica, Alimentació i Agenda Rural (Spain)
- BOSCAT FUSTA SL (Spain)
- BETA Technological Center (Spain)
- CESIE ENTE DEL TERZO SETTORE (Italy)
- LAND IMPRESA SOCIALE SRL (Italy)
- CONSORZIO REGIONALE PER LA RICERCA APPLICATA E LA SPERIMENTAZIONE (Italy)
- STICHTING AERES GROEP (Netherlands)
- STICHTING AGROFOODCLUSTER (Netherlands)
- STICHTING PLATFORM TALENT VOOR TECHNOLOGIE (Netherlands)
- PROAGRIA KESKI-POHJANMAA RY (Finland)
- KESKI-POHJANMAAN KOULUTUSYHTYMA (Finland)
- SEINAJOEN KOULUTUSKUNTAYHTYMA (Finland)
- LAPLAND UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES (Finland)
- Zespół Szkół Centrum Kształcenia Ustawicznego w Wojsławicach (Poland)
- UNIWERSYTET PRZYRODNICZY WE WROCLAWIU (Poland)
- ENERGIA OZ SP ZOO (Poland)
For further information
Read the project sheet, visit https://climatesmart4agri.eu/ and follow us on Facebook and Linkedin.
Contact Caterina Impastato: caterina.impastato@cesie.org.
