Agricultural Practices are responsible for 17-20% of global greenhouse gas emissions but are also the main driver for biodiversity and habitat degradation and loss. However, farmers remain the real countryside managers with paramount importance in the effort to meet the targets for EU Biodiversity Strategy (BDS) 2030 and the EU climate targets for 2050. The TAKE OFF project (“Translating new Approaches and Knowledge into EnvirOnmentally Friendly Farming”) coordinated by the Open University of Cyprus (OUC) aims to promote Environmentally Friendly Farming (EFF), in line with major EU policies and initiatives, e.g., EU climate targets, BDS. This new project has secured funding under the KA210-VET - Small-scale partnerships in vocational education and training action of the Erasmus+ Programme.
The OUC Terrestrial Ecosystems Management Lab (TemLab) led by Professor Ioannis Vogiatzakis (MSc Programme in “Environmental Conservation and Management”) will be working with the University of Milan Bicocca and a new start-up in Cyprus called “Sustainability Metrics” aiming to:
- Produce an e-learning course for Environmental Friendly Farming (EFF)
- Built an online tool for promoting EFF practices
- Produce a replicability e-package for education & training activities related to EFF
- Interact with the target groups and increase outputs uptake by implementing multiplier events in Cyprus and Italy.
In addition to these key policies for sustainable development, TAKE OFF is tailored to the Erasmus+ Horizontal Priorities for the environment and fight against climate change and stimulating innovative learning and teaching practices.