AGRO –START CONFERENCE:TRANSNATIONAL CONFERENCE FOR SME BUSINESS SUPPORT SERVICES

IN THE ANIMAL BREEDING AND HORTICULTURE SECTORS 14 November 2013, Sheraton Sofia Hotel Balkan, Sofia, Bulgaria

Prof. Dr. Mariana IvanovaUniversity of Agribusiness and Rural Development

UNIVERSITY OF AGRIBUSINESS AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT /UARD/ - PLOVDIV

21 YEARS UARD

University of Agribusiness and rural development through its Institute of Regional Studies, Section "Organic Farming“ is a member of IFOAM

GOOD PRACTICES IN TRAINING IN ORGANIC FARMING AND ORGANIC FOOD RETAILING

Based on the example of the implementation of national and international projects

ECOQUALIFY III:IMPLEMENTATION OF A QUALITY ASSURANCE

SYSTEM FOR TRAINING IN ORGANIC FOOD RETAIL

LIFELONG LEARNING PROGRAMMELEONARDO DA VINCI Transfer of innovation 2010-1-GR1-LEO05-03967

LIFELONG LEARNING PROGRAMMELEONARDO DA VINCI Transfer of innovation 2010-1-GR1-LEO05-03967

EcoQualify - European system of quality assurance in education and training in the field of organic food retailing

What is "EcoQualify"?

European system of quality assurance "E (co)-Qualify" is aimed at training and education of:

managerspersonnelworkersin the field of trade in

organic products.

Coordinator: University of Thessaly, Greece

In project E (co)-Qualify III nine partners from Austria, Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Romania and Turkey have developed a general framework of a European quality assurance system for continuous training in the field of organic food retailing.

http://www.ecoQualifyIII.org

Establishing of a European IT-based Learning Platform for further education in organic food retailing

E-Training for organic food retailers

The Modules cover the following issues: Basics of organic food productionOrganic FarmingOrganic Food Production Trading organic food Retailing organic foodHandling and merchandise of goodsMarketing and communicationEconomic viabilityOrganic fresh foodFruits and vegetables Milk and dairy products CheeseOrganic dried productsGrains and cereals, bread and bakery productsOils and fatSoya, legumes and pulses

The 12 modules have been translated into the languages of the partner countries:

•Austria•Bulgaria•Czech Republic•France•Germany•Italy•Poland

The 12 modules have been translated into the languages of the partner countries:

•Austria•Bulgaria•Czech Republic•France•Germany•Italy•Poland

European E-Learning Platform for further education in organic food retailing

Welcome to the European e-learning platform for professional training and qualification in the organic retail sector.

In the Platform you will find one educational course, consisting of 4 thematic modules. Each module consists of 3 educational study units on the main issues and product knowledge areas suited for any retailer with organic food products in Europe.

The course is available in english, bulgarian, czech, french, german, italian and polish language. Each course has been adapted to the specific conditions of the particular countries.

Please click on the flags to find the course in your language.

http://www.forum-berufsbildung.de/eco-qualify/

http://edueco.edu.rs

Priority areas of work of the partners in the Western Balkans:organic livestockorganic horticulture,organic vegetables,field cropsplant protectionsoilsecologyenvironment,management in organic production, incl. risk management, and certification.

UARD role as a partner is to provide training of university teachers in three areas:

- Entrepreneurship;

- Communications with end users and creating science-business relationship in organic farming;

- Assistance in the development and testing of the curricula.

NEWCAP: NEWCAP: „New European Standards in the Context of „New European Standards in the Context of

Reformed Common Agricultural Policy“Reformed Common Agricultural Policy“

www.newcap-project.eu

Project partnershipSlovak University of Agriculture in Nitra

Agroinštitút Nitra, štátny podnik, Slovakia

The Confederazione Italiana Agricoltori Toscana (CIA Toscana), Florence, Italy

University of Agribusiness and Rural Development, Plovdiv, Bulgaria

Organizing and conducting long-term and short-term courses (in Plovdiv, Rousse and Veliko Tarnovo) and information sessions (in 36 municipalities)

Training under Measure 111 "Vocational training, information and diffusion of knowledge" from the Rural Development Program for the period of 2007 - 2013, supported by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.

Trained farmers:

Information sessions: 517

Long-term and short-term courses: 255

Total: 772

Feedback from trainees:

Access to literature, information about production technologies, control methods of pests and diseases; crop rotation schemes, etc.;

Of possible qualification courses, undergraduate and graduate programs;

Access to a database of organic seeds, biological agents, etc..;

Access to markets for organic agricultural products and organic food;

Access to support services – advice services, counseling, European programs and funds, etc.

The main objectives of this kind of training are:

• To acquaint students with the nature and characteristics of organic farming, identifying the key principles of such production; application of various environmentally friendly technologies and practices;

To motivate trainees to apply the principles, rules and requirements of organic farming;

To encourage the implementation of innovative methods and technologies of production and protection of environment, combining economic interests with those of environmental preservation.

To raise the interest of those involved in organic agriculture to continuously improving their skills - to generate new knowledge corresponding to the dynamic development in this sector. / Knowledge of the market, the benefits of organic food, the principles in trade with them, etc.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!

PROF. DR. MARIANA IVANOVAVice Rector of UARD

4003 Plovdiv

78 Dunav Blvd.

Tel. 032 960 356; 0885849953

E-mail: mivanova@uard.bg