Agricultural Policy and Sustainability in Vocational Education

CONTEXT“If we do not keep temperature increase below 1.5 degrees, we risk heading towards extinction later this century.”One might assume that this statement was made by an environmental organization.But it is an EU body which came to this conclusion, published in ‘‘Challenges and choices for Europe. Global Trends to 2030’ by the inter-institutional EU project ‘European Strategy and Policy Analysis System’ (ESPAS). The authors also state:“In part, climate change is driven by what we eat: 14.5% of greenhouse gas emissions result from livestock, especially cattle raised for both meat and milk. If cattle were a country, it would rank third in emissions behind the United States and China.” (ESPAS report 2019, p. 9)Other studies have shown that livestock farming causes 51% of the worldwide greenhouse gases (Goodland, R; Anhang J., Livestock and Climate Change, 2009). They include e. g. the lost CO2 absorption of livestock-relatetd deforestation.In his statement on International Forest Day, United Nations Secretary-General Guterres said: “The deforestation is caused mainly by the transformation of habitats for the extensive agriculture.” (21.3.2020) What we eat is connected with climate change and to a larger extent with species extinction.To examine these interrelations in depth and to open up alternative ways of action, the AGRIPOL project develops a blended learning course for VET teachers.AGRIPOL will focus on the individual level:How can change of behaviour be initiated and what is needed to keep it over a longer period? But the power of consumers is restricted, therefore the project team includes also the structural level: the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The current CAP has been criticised for encouraging farming practices that damage the environment. The new period of the Common Agricultural Policy is going to start 2021 and will end in 2027, it's regulations are currently under negotiation.The AGRIPOL project will analyze and didactically prepare the main contents of the CAP: Which interest groups were involved and to what extent? Which impacts with regard to e.g. more sustainability will the CAP have?AIMSSupporting opportunities for VET students in acquiring and developing key competences, in order to foster participation in civic life and critical thinking.AGRIPOL contributes to enable change of behaviour for consumption habits, and lifestyles; it supports VET teachers and students to become ‘true factors of change’ (horizontal priority in the E+ guide). And it provides information on problems at a structural level, that need to be addressed by decision-makers at European level.Long term objective is to attach greater importance to topics like sustainability and protection of resources in curricula (in subjects of ‘green jobs’ and in civic education).RESULTS1. PROFESSIONAL MOVIE on the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) + booklet with further info for teachersCAP’s implications with regard to soil, biodiversity, water protection as well as work conditions in the field of agriculture (different interview partners ‘pro’ and ‘con’; and info from reliable scientific sources), target group movie: VET students2. VIDEO CLIPSAudiovisual statements of 'prominent' people (e.g. ‘youtubers’) and ‘ordinary’ people who already started the change> Role models can have a huge impact on the possibility to change individuals’ behaviour(Peer to peer approach: VET students create clips)3. BLENDED-LEARNING COURSE for VET teachers and trainers- Module for face to face training (How to address the problem of ‘cognitive dissonance’ in class)- Online courses in four languages (e.g. addressing sustainable development goals such as ‘life and land’ > examples for sustainable, inventive practices e. g. Navdanya, India]- Curriculum- Hands-on learning and teaching material [interrelation between free trade agreements, EU regulations in the field of agriculture and policies at national level]Didactic approaches: problem based learning. The fields ‘education of sustainable development’ and ‘global citizenship education’ will be connected.TEAMThe team comprises experts from four countries who have wealth of experience - in teacher training and different didactic approaches- in education of and practical work with VET students of ‘green’ jobs And those which have scientific expertise with regard to agriculture and sustainability.Demokratiezentrum, AustriaPeco-Institute for sustainable regional development, GermanyAgricultural University, Bulgaria Bulgarian School of Politics ‘Dimitry Panitza’, Bulgaria (NGO)VET school for Horticulture Großwilfersdorf, Austria Edmund Jankowski VET School of Horticulture, PolandInitiative for education for workers in agriculture of the Styrian chamber, Austria Leibniz University Hanover, AGORA Citizenship Education, Germany