SAC International

The main objective of this project is to develop training material (primarily as case studies) that can be used by trainers to enhance the skills of farmers and agri-business wholesale and retail managers that operate in less favoured areas of the EU.

The project consists of six workpages:

1. Priority training needs assessment.

2. Development of vocational training materials.

3. Piloting of vocational training materials.

4. Improved understanding of agri-marketing between partners, industry and vocational training organistions.

5. Promotion of project objectives and dissemination of materials.

6. Quality assurance and evaluation.

Each partner country will conduct market research and priority training needs assessment in its own country. Country reports will be distilled to find common themes. Generic training materials will be developed through a series of meetings in partner countries and a study tour in Scotland. One industrial partner from each country will provide an industry view of the training materials. Refined draft materials will be piloted in all partner countries before final editing and dissemination.

Links will be established with key vocational training organisations in each partner country in order to present and disseminate results. The project will influence policy-making decisions by liaising with national and local government, regional development agencies and national training organisations:

Training material will be readily obtainable on the internet and project information will be available on an "overarching" website that incorporates two previous Leonardo da Vinci projects in the agricultural sector.