CAPACITIES OVER 50S AS RURAL DEVELOPMENT TOOL Grundtvig Project

1. CAPACITIES OVER 50S AS RURAL DEVELOPMENT TOOL Grundtvig Project GOOD PRACTICE ON TEACHING TOOLS, METHODS AND CURRICULA by Andrea Poluzzi (EUROPE DIRECT – Carrefour europeo Emilia Italy)

2. WHO WE ARE Since 1993 the C.R.P.A. – Research Centre on Animal Production has been hosting an Information Office of the European Union, EUROPE DIRECT - Carrefour europeo Emilia, which was a member of the former network of the Rural Carrefours and is now part of the EUROPE DIRECT network. EUROPE DIRECT - Carrefour europeo Emilia act as an interface between citizens and the European Union at local level.

3. WHAT WE DO EUROPE DIRECT - Carrefour europeo Emiliais involved in several activities which aim at circulating information about the EU, paying particular attention to young people, schools and agricultural entrepreneurs. Hence, we specialised in training regarding agricultural and rural development.

4. EUROPE DIRECT - Carrefour europeo Emilia50+good practice:TEACHING PATHS We provide lessons addressed to citizens living in rural areas (most of them over 50s) on the subject of the European Union, its Institutions, in particular the Common Agricultural Policy – CAP, the European Rural Development Policy - RDP and the funds related to them. The above mentioned teaching method is now part of the curricula of those citizens who are willing to become entrepreneur in rural areas and to receive funds from CAP and RDP.

5. MAIN OBJECTIVES • Promoting European agriculture and rural development; • Increasing the knowledge about CAP and RDP; • Boosting human potential; • Supporting social and economic development of the rural areas of the European Union (including the local ones).

6. METHODS (I) Over the past years EUROPE DIRECT – Carrefour europeo Emiliahas developed vocational training and information actions in the field of EU, CAP and RDP in the frame of more structured training paths organised by vocational training organisations at local and regional level. In particular, we have been cooperating with “Dinamica”, a vocational training centre owned by C.R.P.A., specialised in training course for farmers and people working in the agricultural sector and in rural areas.

7. METHODS (II) 20 hours (5 lessons of 4 hours each) regarding CAP and RDP, and sometimes study visits in Brussels to learn more about the decision making process and the lobbying activities. It is important to point out that these lessons are only part of a broader course dealing with the all issues concerning the agricultural entrepreneur. EUROPE DIRECT – Carrefour europeo Emilia is engaged in follow-up activities providing participants with updated information and counselling.

8. TARGET GROUPS These training paths are addressed to adult groups, namely farmers unions’ officers, public administration officers in the agricultural , environment and rural development field, farmers, agricultural entrepreneurs and adult women.

9. OUTCOMES • Far-reaching promotion of the European Union; • Increased knowledge about CAP and RDP; • Remarkable improvement of the agricultural entrepreneurship; • Intensified general competitiveness of business activities; • Trickle down effects on the economy of rural areas.

10. CONCLUSION The above mentioned teaching paths embody a learning method allowing people to acquire knowledge, general and specialized competences about the EU, CAP and RDP. The training courses’ methodology is perfectly suitable to other contexts because the RDP policy is the same throughout Europe thanks to the Council Regulation (EC) No. 1698/2005. Moreover, agricultural entrepreneurs acquire a new vision by realizing that they do not belong only to their local territory, but they are also part of a European scenario which they can take advantage of.

11. Many Thanks For further information please contact Mr. Andrea Poluzzi: europedirect@crpa.it