EIMA 2021, focus on training young people in agriculture

The second day of EIMA International devoted ample space to the theme of training and education for young farmers and technicians in the sector. Agia and FederUnacoma pointed out the weaknesses of an educational system that does not help either the agricultural or agro-mechanical sectors, which instead are showing a growing demand for highly specialized professional figures.

The theme of education and training for technicians in the sector and for the farmers of the future was in the spotlight on the second day of EIMA International, the great exhibition of machinery for agriculture and gardening scheduled in Bologna until October 23. The evolution of skills in the agro-mechanical field requires a new generation of technicians who, depending on the functions they will perform, will have to come from much more specialized educational and training paths than those of today.

The issue was addressed at a conference entitled “Reforming agricultural upper schools to meet new needs”, promoted in cooperation with FederUnacoma by Agia, the organisation that represents young farmers within Cia. The meeting was attended by Valeria Villano, president of Agia Emilia-Romagna; Rudy Marranchelli, national vice-president of Agia; Lorenzo Iuliano, technical service of FederUnacoma; Paola Adami, ITA coordinator – Istituti Tecnici Agrari Senza Frontiere (Agricultural Technical Institutes Without Borders); Alessandro Malavolti, president of FederUnacoma; Stéphane Cornec, representative for Jeunes Agriculteurs training; Stefano Francia, national president of Agia; Dino Scanavino, national president of Cia-Agricoltori Italiani.

One of the critical aspects of agricultural training – it was stressed during the meeting – concerns teaching agricultural mechanics in agricultural schools, where it has been abolished for years and generically incorporated into agronomy. The development of technologies, with a strong impetus towards digitalisation and the first steps towards robotization, would instead require much more in-depth treatment, also to offer graduates job opportunities not only on farms but also in technical support networks.

From this perspective, training in agricultural mechanics does not only concern the people who have to work on farms, but also the staff who work for machinery and equipment manufacturers, who need up-to-date technical staff to meet the growing demand for technology. Indeed, even today professional training is still largely carried out on the farms themselves, with seminars and external training courses.

Agriculture, it was stressed during the conference, is undergoing a radical transformation that not only offers clear advantages in terms of productivity, sustainability and the environmental impact of crops, but also poses challenges. These can only be overcome if training and education for the agro-mechanical sector are overhauled. The meeting entitled ‘Digital and young people: the agriculture of the future. From the CAP to the Farm2Fork strategy. Presentation of the ParteciPAC project”, organised by Image Line.