Upskilling and Reskilling students for small-scale farming – Pilot Courses

Work package 4 aims to equip students and lifelong learners with smart farming skills to drive innovation in agriculture, with a focus on small-scale farming systems vital to EU food security and environmental sustainability. By connecting learners with farmer associations, entrepreneurs, and individual farmers, it addresses the digital gap in sectors like mountain farming, low-input systems, and family farms, enhancing capabilities in modern agricultural engineering and climate-resilient practices.

Activity 4.1 – Field-demonstration activities in South Tirol

Conceptualization, preparation and conduction of guided excursions and mini-courses to pilot field sites of mountain farming systems mainly in the South Tirol, Italy. The pilot field sites already exist work with state-of-the-art smart farming technologies.

Field trials on spraying technologies, stability, and sensor performance have begun, including field measurements at Laimburg, a visit to Taser Alm, and testing optical sensors during a Lifelong Learning (LLL) course at UNIBZ.

Activity 4.2 – Laboratory Exercises

UNIBZ is able to offer precise and hands-on modules and exercises to students and LLL. The format will be hybrid, i.e. online lectures combined with sessions in presence, in order to allow participation of as much as personspossible. With these courses we seek to strengthen regional agricultural networks in South Tirol and beyond.

The course “Introduction to Smart Agriculture Technologies for Mountain Ecosystems” (3 ECTS) was successfully held from November 2023 to February 2024, including seminal sessions and exercises in the AFI-Lab on topics like stability tests, optical sensors, and spraying technologies.

Activity 4.3 – Introducing IOT for small farms

A module on smart farming and IOT for small farmers. A MOOC is used to teach the basic structures of smart farming and IoT in agriculture and to deepen this knowledge through integrated exercises.

A hybrid course started earlier and is being evaluated, with a focus on differences between online and offline sessions. The project has confirmed that training trainers (multipliers) will be more efficient and suitable for long-term education than directly targeting small-scale farmers.

Activity 4.4 – Farm machinery decision making algorithms

A database will collect information on farm machine sizing and selection through an online tool. The database of farm machinery is connected with an algorithm that will serve as advisory and support tool for smallholder farmers to calculate the right mechanical solution for their farm, according to certain parameters as power, consumption, purchase costs, work expectancy, amortization and others.

Ideas for a Farm machinery database that includes decision-making algorithms to support farmer selection processes have been developed. The project is collecting unique data on machinery behaviour (tilting point, point of gravity) from machines on the UNIBZ AFI-Lab mobile platform and integrating engine performance data. Potential options include combining the database with Life-Cycle Analysis or Multi-Criteria Analysis and connecting with existing databases like KTBL.

Activity 4.5 – GIS Software applicatons

The GIS module will cover the basics of spatial data analysis using QGIS and explore how geodata can support sustainable land use and decision-making along the agricultural value chain. Key outcomes include the development of interactive learning materials, short learning videos, and supporting materials tailored to farmers, trainers, and consultants. Emphasis is placed on user needs, real-life use cases, and storytelling to enhance accessibility and impact.

Furthermore, two pilot courses at TUM and UNIBZ on Smart Farming Technologies were realized with good success, leading to developed and updated learning materials. These courses have increased the visibility of the universities’ work and research groups and helped enlarge the network of partners.