Sharing innovative agri-food practices: in Turin with FARMER
As coordinator of the project FARMER: Future Agri-Tech Reskilling and Modern Education Reimagining, Fondazione Giacomo Brodolini, in cooperation with the project partners, organises a six-day study visit in Turin, from 5 to 10 October 2026. The visit aims to share innovative agri-tech practices developed by Italian vocational education and training (VET) schools to VET teachers, SMEs, and start-ups from the Western Balkans.
Funded by the Erasmus+ programme, FARMER aims to strengthen the responsiveness of VET systems in the agri-food sector across the Western Balkans by reinforcing the capacities of VET providers and promoting closer links with the labour market.
In line with the project's objectives, the study visit forms part of a broader FARMER peer-learning process combining in-person mobility with the exchange of European good practices in curriculum innovation.
Bringing together representatives from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia, the visit will provide participants with first-hand insights into Italian approaches to vocational education and training, with a focus on cooperation between VET providers and employers, curriculum innovation and mechanisms that enable education systems to respond more rapidly to evolving skills needs.
During the visit, VET teachers, employers, start-ups and project partners will explore practices that can inform the next stages of the FARMER project, including curriculum co-creation and adaptation, with the aim of developing stronger links between schools, employers and innovation actors.
In particular, participants will have the opportunity to learn more about BonaFous Chieri, a VET ecosystem integrating agricultural training, agritech innovation and applied research; Lombriasco's agricultural VET model, built on strong employer partnerships, hands‑on learning and an active alumni network; and ITS Agroalimentare Academy Piemonte, a post‑secondary institute offering highly specialised programmes for the agri‑food sector.
"For FARMER, this learning mobility is closely connected to one of the project’s core objectives: strengthening the capacity of VET providers in the Western Balkans to update curricula in response to technological, green and labour-market change" explains Elisa Giacumacatos, Senior Research Project Officer at FGB's Labour Market & Skills Research Unit and FARMER project Coordinator.
"The project places particular emphasis on digital and green skills, stronger links between education and the agri-food sector, and greater involvement of businesses in curriculum development and delivery" she concludes.
