INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF MIGRANT AND REFUGEES IN AGRICULTURE SECTOR

<< Background >>Worldwide wars and conflicts are crucial factors in forced migration of individuals. After the civil war in Syria in 2011, individuals who wanted to live in safe, healthy and better conditions started to migrate especially to western countries. They started to work in agriculture, industry, construction and services to improve their living conditions. In this process, it has been determined that migrants/refugees (M/R) do not have sufficient knowledge and skills especially in the agricultural sector, suffer from low vocational education levels, including good command of good practices for the protection of soil, water and air, and they struggle with harmonizing with the local society. With this project, knowledge, skills and capacities in the M/R agricultural sector were increased through face-to-face and online training. It contributed to closing the qualified labor shortage in the sector and solving the M/R unemployment problem by enabling employers and job seekers to meet on an e-platform. Project outcomes were achieved through training and awareness raising activities to refugees in the agricultural sector and dissemination activities, especially through visits to institutions, newsletters and social media accounts.<< Objectives >>With this project, through face-to-face and online training, we wanted to increase the knowledge, skills and equipment of M/R aged 18 and over who work and want to work in the agricultural sector so that they can raise their living standards in the host country, contribute to the economy of their host country and adapt to the host society more easily. In addition, we also aimed to familiarize M/R with current practices in the agricultural sector, to have better employment opportunities with the vocational training they receive, to have information about the plant and animal production in their host country, to help them overcome the problems they will face in production, in short to increase their capacities and opportunities in agriculture. By making e-books (guidebook and handbook), all training materials (PDF, PPT, video, etc.), and newsletters freely accessible, project social media posts as well as well as a meeting platform for workers and farmers to create job opportunities, the project aimed at increasing the capacity of M/R and disseminating the project all over Europe, not restricted to the project partner countries. The multilingual sources created during the project supported the project aims.<< Implementation >>We prepared a multilingual (languages of partner countries + English + Arabic) guidebook and handbook for M/R, both in print and e-book. We prepared training materials (PDF, PPT, video) in 7 modules and evaluation questions for M/R in the same multilingual format. We published all materials (e-book, training materials) on the multilingual web page and e-learning platform. We trained 121 M/R face-to-face and issued certificates. We gave certificates to 233 M/R who were successful in the online trainings we provided on the e-learning platform. We organized and reported on the project in two workshops. We participated in two international conferences and presented our papers to an academic audience. We published 5 newsletters. We increased the visibility of our project through social media. We increased the recognition of our project through Multiplier events (reaching a total of 140 people) and 31 institutional visits. We organized four transnational meetings and one LTTA meeting. We trained 18 trainers with LTTA. Thus, we improved the cooperation between institutions and the project partners. We realized worker-employer contacts on the e-platform. We also created the logo of the project under the leadership of AMSED.<< Results >>Concrete outputs and outcomes of the CAMRAS project:•a multilingual guidebook to increase the knowledge of M/R and producers about the agricultural sector in the partner countries•M/R and producer surveys to analyse their needs in the agricultural sector,•producer surveys to assess the desired qualified labor force in the sector•workshops with M/R, producers and other stakeholder to identify their needs•multilingual handbooks and training materials on an open access multilingual website and e-learning platform•online and face-to-face training sessions to increase the knowledge, skills and capacities of M/R over the age of 18 working or willing to work in the sector•LTT activities to build trainers’ capacity and competence•project website, with integrated e-learning platform, social media accounts and visits to institutions to increase the visibility of our project•employer-employee meetings with the database on the platform•training to raise M/R’s awareness of the protection of natural resources and the environment in agricultural production•familiarising M/R with the host country’s agricultural and economic development•participation in transnational conferences to promote the project to a wider audience