Background
This project builds on the earlier project “Growing Food(ies)”, which documented structural challenges in the relationship between young people, agricultural education and the agri-food sector in the Nordic region. The analysis identified a gap between:
- curriculum content and teaching methods,
- competence needs in the sector, particularly among SMEs,
- and youth expectations regarding work and career paths.
The next step is a targeted dialogue with the key players, aimed at clarifying where adjustments in practice may strengthen recruitment and engagement.
Activities
The following activities will be executed in 2026:
- Definition of focus areas
Preparatory conversations are conducted with representatives from agricultural education, youth, relevant authorities and producer organisations. The purpose is to identify where actors see potential for improvement in the interaction between education, industry and young people. Based on these inputs, 4–6 focus areas will be defined. Each area describes a specific field where adjustment may influence recruitment, competence development, curricula and teaching process, or career attractiveness.
- Workshop 1: Assessment and Prioritisation
The first workshop will gather relevant participants from the Nordic countries that represent the proposed focus areas from both education, policy making, potential youth and the industry with a broad representation.
Participants will evaluate whether the identified areas reflect the most relevant opportunities for improvement. Descriptions may be refined, merged or supplemented. The aim is to reach agreement on a smaller set of priority areas that merit further attention.
- Workshop 2: Pathways and Next Steps
The second workshop builds on the priority areas identified during the interview phase and the results from Workshop 1. Here the focus will be aligned with the site specific challenges and opportunities: remoteness, small scale production, strong community, urban farming and diversification initiatives. The purpose is to clarify realistic pathways and identify actors interested in taking specific elements forward.