COnscious PEsticide FArming practices with Agricultural High School Students

<< Background >>Analysis of previous periods (done by Rojas, 2014) showed that global pesticide sales increased by 289% in a period of 10 years only. It was estimated that the World Pesticide Market would grow at an annual average rate of 5% (Anonymous, 2014b), and global pesticide sales would reach $ 1 million in 2020. over these years, the uncontrolled and unconscious use of chemical drugs caused the chemical control programs to become ineffective. Pesticide derivatives, transformation products, metabolites, degradation products resulting from the use of pesticides in food and agricultural products can cause toxicological pollution. After comperison of curriculae in our partner countries we realized there is little training or proper courses on pesticide management, their proper use and reduction methods. Therefore we were encouraged to firstly raise awareness of the importance of pesticide analyses, secondly to provide methodological tools for its proper and controlled i.e. conscious use. First and foremost among our local communities and young people – highschool students, future farmers and / or landlords.<< Objectives >>The objectives of the COPEFA project were to encourage and train Agriculture High School students, particularly those in the food department and future farmers, in several areas related to pesticide use. Firstly, to teach them how to effectively manage the use of pesticides. Secondly, to learn about the potential damages that can result from pesticide use. Lastly, they would be made aware of alternative methods that can be employed to reduce the use of pesticides. Overall, the COPEFA project aimed to equip students with the necessary knowledge and skills to adopt more sustainable and environmentally-friendly farming practices.<< Implementation >>The project included 7 work packages (WP), 5 Transnational partner meetings (TPM), 5 Multiplier Events as follows:WP1 Preparation activities – after project approval the 1st online meeting was organized by the coordinator in December 2021, for the partners to get to know each other, discuss the project details, the roles and responsibilities of partners, timetables, the budget. A presentation has been delivered by Osmangazi Ilce Milli Egitim Mudurlugu (Turkey) representative Oya Gürel, summarizing the main points of the project: objectives, activities, outputs. During the preparation phase the coordinator sent the Partner contracts to every Partner, set up a social media project page (Facebook), created templates for project management, visibility and reporting, a Google drive folder where all relevant project related documents were shared and made available for all partners. The second online meeting was held in January, 2022. At the meeting, the date of the Kick-off meeting, hosted by the coordinator (SšDalj), was set for April 2022. During March 2022, Partnership Agreements were signed, after which the first part of the budget - approved funds - was transferred to the partners. According to the agreement and as stated in the Partnership Agreement, the coordinator transferred the funds to the partners in three payments according to the principle of 40%+40%+20%.WP2 E-learning module and the COPEFA e-learning platform (IO1) has been developed and set up by the Italian partner IOFA Bagnoregio. IO1 first version was presented during the KICK-OFF meeting in Croatia in April 2022. Due to partner change in the first phase of the project (February 2022), this activity was prolonged and its finalization was delayed. The planned period for WP2 was 02 – 05/2022 but due to necessary changes, translation and finally piloting activities it was completed during the second year of the project. WP2 also included three more online meetings (in May and June 2022) aiming to finalize IO1 properly and according to what was planned and written in the application form. WP3 Public Spot: A public service announcement was evaluated by the NA as a not eligible project output and separate WP. WP4 Preparing framework for healthy agriculture application: A framework for Good Agricultural Practice mobile application included research, collection and processing of data necessary for the creation of the Framework for the COPEFA mobile application (IO2). All partners conducted detailed research on pesticide usage in their countries, labelled the most used crops, fruits and vegetables and pesticides used in their farming and growing. An excel sheet has been created by the leading partner of WP4 Bilecik Universitesi, Turkiye, who prepared the Framework according to data collected by all partners. The final version was translated to all partners’ languages. The implementation period for WP4 was 05 – 07 /2022 without any delays or problems. WP5 Healthy Farming Practices Mobile Application included creation and set up of the COPEFA mobile application (IO4). Leading partner was URE Berlin, Germany. Prior the final version of the app, a beta version of the application and user manual was set up and tested by all partners; terminology and data in the app were meticulously checked before launching to Google Play and Apple Store where it is available for download. The final version has been tested among teachers and students in partner countries. The implementation period for WP5 was 11/2022 – 04 /2023 without any delays or problems. WP6 COPEFA Guidebook included collection, ordering, conducting of all relevant project data (basic information, partner info, project results, information on conscious pesticide use in farming, pesticide management pieces of advice), visual design, proofreading of the Guidebook (IO5). Leading partner for this WP was SšDalj, Croatia. After the final version was completed in English, IO5 was translated into all partners’ languages. The implementation period for WP5 was 03 – 05 / 2023 without any delays or problems.WP7 Pilot sessions and reporting included activities related to piloting project results IO1 e-learning platform and IO4 COPEFA mobile application. IOs were piloted and tested among teachers and students of agriculture high schools in partner countries in Italy, Croatia, Turkiye and Romania. Reports on piloting were mostly conducted as discussions with users in order to collect feedback and if necessary, improve or correct features of IO1 and IO4. 5 TMPs were organized and implemented: Kick-off meeting in Dalj, Croatia in April 2022 hosted by the coordinator Srednja škola Dalj; TPM2 (public spot advertisement preparation and E-learningplatform evaluation) in Bursa, Turkiye in September 2022 hosted by OMEM; TPM3 (good agriculture practice mobile app framework work and mobile app study) in Bagnoregio Italy in December 2022, hosted by IOFA Bagnoregio; TPM4 (good farming mobile app evaluation and Guidebook study) in Alexandria, Romania in February 2023, hosted by LTNB Alexandria; TPM5 (Evaluating the project results-multiplier event planning, dissemination, final report information) in Berlin Germany in October 2023, hosted by URE Berlin. All documents related to TMPs can be found on this link https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1GSISVQZ3jxhbVxAqlU8go1AShvomobKA?usp=sharing5 MULTIPLIER EVENTS (ME) were organized and implemented during October 2023 – in Croatia hosted by the coordinator, in Italy hosted by IOFA Bagnoregio, in Germany hosted by URE Berlin, in Turkiye hosted by OMEM and in Romania hosted by LTNB Alexandria. MEs were implemented after all project outputs have been finalized, reviewed and all partners evaluated them as successfully completed. MEs were organized according to description in the application form. The coordinator prepared a sample for ME report for all partners to use. The aim of MEs was to disseminate project results in our local communities but also on regional or international level where possible. All documents related to MEs can be found on this link https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Zjt4dAqk0y_eT8sqZ_RMYZW36wjSPDN2?usp=sharingProject management was implemented throughout the project and included: support for a day-to-day coordination and ensurance of quality of both, the management processes and project results; Project monitoring and Evaluation; communication procedures (internal and external), creation and sharing of visibility materials to be used during the project; exact planning of TPM and other relevant events, reporting instructions (narrative and financial reporting templates); Quality Assurance & Evaluation; Administrative Coordination; to collect and maintain contractual documents (consortium agreement, etc.), to produce periodic reports; document production and archive; Financial reporting.Monitoring and evaluation was implemented throughout the project, responsible partner was OMEM, Bursa Turkiye. A complete Quality Assurance and Monitoring Plan document has been conducted and shared on the project’s GoogleDrive and can be found on this link https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/16qRjMF1-n7z5MYmv-yzCm588E_w18h1h?usp=sharingDissemination of project results and project in general was carried out by all partners on regular basis according to the dissemination plan. In order to keep record of dissemination activities an excel sheet was created by the coordinator and shared on GoogleDrive. Dissemination activities included sharing, testing and evaluation of the e-learning platform and the COPEFA mobile application in the first place among agriculture high school students and teachers but also among the local community and other relevant stakeholders during Multiplier events, Erasmus days, various scientific and educational seminars and fairs, teachers’ meetings, etc. Also, three Newsletters have been created to disseminate the project progress and results. Each partner disseminated the project via promotion of using all intellectual outputs that came out while running the project. The partners used project website and their institution's official website to attract the target groups around. Project activities were disseminated on seminars and presentations in the local community and on regional levels. Even though the coordinator, as applicant organization coordinated the execution of all dissemination activities with the help of OMEM partner , each project partner adjusted the existing or developed their plan of dissemination and exploitation of the project taking in mind the target groups. Coordinating partner OMEM with its experience in dissemination in EU projects managed dissemination activities to a great extent. As it is a regional educational public body, they have an official extensive power/status which played a major role in the dissemination activities for the project, nationally and on a European level. Dissemination tools were developed (leaflets, website, Facebook presence, mailing lists of stakeholders) in all partner languages. All documents related to dissemination can be found on this link https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ztrJ_oLw15ZjgDARsGXdU9SZVmDOAeZD?usp=sharing<< Results >>1. e-learning module has been prepared and COPEFA e-learning platform was set up by IOFA Italy with contribution of all partners; aim of this output was to create a digital tool for teaching and learning about pesticides and methods how to use them more conscious and controlled. The e-learning platform is available in all partners’ languages. Target groups are vocational high school teachers and students but also all interested parties in sustainable agriculture and eco-friendly farming. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/187_DbhuaXMBZPjL2CUF8JvnD9_naNsOD?usp=sharinghttps://www.copefa.eu/2. Framework for the COPEFA mobile application has been prepared by Bilecik Universitesi, Turkiye with contribution of all partners. Prior the finalization of this output , a research was conducted by all partners for selected crops and pesticides used in their countries. These research results were incorporated into the final version of the framework. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1P9pIbKwL_vLF8Uhaf2MLPX-acFIJgtc3?usp=sharing3.COPEFA mobile application has been created and set up by URE Berlin, Germany with contribution of all partners. The mobile application is available for Android and IOs and is available on Google Play and Apple Store for download and use in all partners’ languages. Target groups are vocational high school teachers and students but also all interested parties in sustainable agriculture and eco-friendly farming.https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/17Ud4aw2MJsM5ltnPCB3q6T73LM_DGfiO?usp=sharing4. COPEFA Guidebook was prepared and conducted by Srednja škola Dalj, Croatia with contribution of all partners. It is the final output of the project and summarizes the main points of the project (objectives, partners, project results) aiming to provide information on conscious pesticide management. Target groups are vocational high school teachers and students but also all interested parties in sustainable agriculture and eco-friendly farming. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1sKA3hqj3lkNxuHmquJwGYe5ZbWVeRYs_?usp=sharing