Skill Needs for Sustainable Agri-Food and Forestry Sectors (I): Assessment through European and National Focus Groups
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Focus Group Guidelines
2.2. Focus Group Organization
2.3. Data Collection Previous to the Focus Groups
2.4. Running of the Focus Groups
2.5. Reporting
- An executive summary of the FG.
- A transcription of the audio file in English. The free YouTube transcription tool was used when available (depending on the language), and when not, transcription was carried out manually from the video recording. When quoting FG participants, data were anonymized by assigning 5-digit ID strings indicating FG country, stakeholder profile, participant number, gender, and role in the FG (participant or moderator/rapporteur).
3. Results and Discussion
3.1. Most Important Skills, All Countries, All Sectors
3.2. Most Important Skills by Producing Sector
3.2.1. Farmers
3.2.2. Cooperatives
3.2.3. Agri-Food Companies
3.2.4. Forestry Sector
3.2.5. Similarities and Differences among Sectors
3.3. Main Outcomes from the Policy Focus Group
3.3.1. Focus Group Design and Implementation
- −
- from an EU perspective on skills needs, participants were given the opportunity to share their opinion on the skills lists developed by the FIELDS project partners linking with the work of the national FGs;
- −
- reviewing participants’ opinions on the current legislative framework: how EU policies are set in training and education and how they adapt to the sectoral needs, particularly to the sectors specified. This matter had the intended outcome to have some recommendations on the next steps regarding EU policy.
3.3.2. Skill Lists Used in the National and Forestry Focus Groups
3.3.3. Improvement of the EU Policy Landscape
3.3.4. Recommendations/Key Messages
- The skills gap should be explored and even forecasted to design the training of the future.
- Curricula at universities and training centers must be adapted to the sector needs, adjusting the homologation and recognition of skills and experience.
- The agri-food sector is the largest in Europe; there is a need to establish bigger alliances to reshape the scenario in order to support farmers and the food industry.
- There must be an evidence-based approach to provide guidelines to policy makers in the field of education in the agri-food sector. These recommendations should be given by sectorial and educational representatives in collaboration with policy makers.
- The Social Dialogue should be reinforced to promote the interaction between employers and employees in order to set the basis for the needed training and skills.
- There is a need to increase the attractiveness of the agri-food and forestry sectors for the younger generation.
4. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
Appendix A. Skill Lists
Skill No. | Climate Change |
---|---|
1.1 | Mitigation and adaptation to climate change incl. climate change competences (weather extremes; interdependency of climate systems and biospheres) and climate change mitigation (e.g., fostered CO2 sequestration) and adaptation (e.g., species composition) via sustainable forest management |
Sustainable management of resources | |
1.2 | Efficient use of resources and logistics |
1.3 | Improved agri-food system productivity incl. the sustainable management of water, streams, and energy in the food industry |
1.4 | Active management of natural resources |
1.5 | Integrated pest management (incl. the sustainable use of pesticides) |
1.6 | Biodiversity (incl. the detection and support of biodiversity of plants and animals) |
1.7 | Sustainable metrics and certification incl. public and private schemes for certification (e.g., green labels) and Life Cycle Assessment, Life Cycle Analysis data, including PEF (Product Environmental Footprint) |
Sustainable Business and Governance Models and Environmental Policy | |
1.8 | Environmental Management Systems |
1.9 | Corporate social responsibility associated with sustainability reporting/press releases |
1.10 | National, EU, and international environmental policies, regulation, subsidy, and support programs |
Circularity | |
1.11 | By-products and co-products valorization incl. the treatment and reuse of reclaimed water; inorganic waste management practices; the agricultural valorization of organic fertilizers; the management of slurry in livestock farms; biodegradable and compostable materials (incl. packaging); the valorization of forestry residues and new industrial technologies in pulp and paper manufacturing; the use of by-products of timber harvesting (nutrients circulation vs. nutrients removal); circular economy and recycling in the pulp and paper industry; and the reuse, recycling, and valorization of raw materials, contact materials (packaging), by-products, and waste in the food industry |
Energy | |
1.12 | Generation, storage, and the use of renewable energies incl. the next generation bio-refineries and bio-product mills and their outlets, residual forest wood products to produce energy and design, and the building and operation of renewable energy systems |
1.13 | The identification of renewable energy systems suitable for farm/business enterprises |
1.14 | The identification of raw materials and waste for energy production in farm/business enterprises |
1.15 | The identification of energy consumption and demand on farm/business enterprises |
1.16 | National and EU energy markets |
Specific skills for sustainable agriculture | |
1.17 | Good Agricultural Practices incl. the global GAP and international standards of good practices in agriculture |
1.18 | Water management incl. water quality control and protection, water saving cultivation, tools, and models for saving water and selecting the proper crop pattern at the farm level, irrigation management and techniques, advisor services for irrigation water management to improve training, information and knowledge transfer, and the optimization of irrigation system design and management and associated energies |
1.19 | Soil Nutrient and Health Management incl. soil protection and improvement, the maintenance of permanent vegetal soil cover and minimum tillage, and techniques for carbon sequestration in the soil |
Specific skills for sustainable forestry | |
1.20 | The impact of timber harvesting and other forest management practices in wildlife populations and habitats |
1.21 | The protective role of forests and their management in mountainous areas |
1.22 | Multifunctional forests and ecosystem-services |
Specific skills for sustainable food industry | |
1.23 | Organic production requirements |
1.24 | The analysis of contaminants |
1.25 | Sustainable packaging |
Skill No. | General Digital Skills |
---|---|
2.1 | Everyday usage of digital technology to communicate incl, the use of computers, tablets or mobile phones; word processing; sending emails; browsing the internet safely; making video calls; and social media networks |
2.2 | Data handling and analysis |
2.3 | Data protection |
2.4 | Cloud technology |
2.5 | Smart connected devices incl.., general principles, categories, requirements, limitations, and vulnerabilities |
Digitalization for business | |
2.6 | E-commerce and e-marketing |
2.7 | Digital entrepreneurship |
2.8 | Digital information and services (e.g., product prices and standards, payment services, advisory services) |
Digital tools to support production and production management | |
2.9 | Digital supplier management systems |
2.10 | Digital product quality management systems |
2.11 | Warehouse management systems |
2.12 | Digital food traceability systems |
2.13 | Digital reversed logistics systems |
2.14 | Digital pest control systems |
2.15 | Decision support systems incl. control technology with decision support tools (DST) and the use of web SIG platforms (or ICT platforms) including sensors network models and tools for DSS within a feedback process |
2.16 | Robot and drone technology |
Specific skills for digital (smart) farming | |
2.17 | Farm Management Information Systems (FMIS) |
2.18 | Precision animal health and productivity management systems (incl. feed intake management) |
2.19 | Field operations management systems (incl. soil, plant, seed, and yield management systems) |
2.20 | Digital irrigation control systems |
2.21 | Digital soil nutrient control systems |
2.22 | Weather data management systems/software |
2.23 | Climate control systems (incl. indoor and roofed farming (greenhouses and roofed fields) |
2.24 | Robot and drone technology in agriculture |
(a) Bioeconomy Skills—Agriculture | |
Skill No. | Basic Skills in Production Operations and Production Management |
3.1.1 | Planning and coordinating production |
3.1.2 | Performing farming operations |
3.1.3 | Equipment maintenance |
3.1.4 | Logistics and storage incl. storage techniques and requirements of different raw materials, the transportation of livestock (incl. droving), produce and supplies and warehouse management |
3.1.5 | Calculating, handling, and managing risk |
3.1.6 | Health and safety management and operations incl. to drive and operate agricultural machines safely |
3.1.7 | Product traceability |
Technologies, products, and production approaches | |
3.1.8 | Urban, peri-urban, and rural area agriculture |
3.1.9 | Conventional versus/and organic farming incl. organic farming and hybrid farming (the combination of organic and conventional farming methods) |
3.1.10 | Controlled Environment Agriculture |
3.1.11 | Crop diversification and rotation |
3.1.12 | New plant breeding techniques |
3.1.13 | Agricultural biodiversity |
3.1.14 | Genetically Modified Crops |
3.1.15 | New industrial crops and bioproducts for the bioeconomy incl. bioproducts: biofuels, bioplastics, biochemicals, textiles, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals and new industrial crops: cameline, hemp, castor, guayule, etc. |
3.1.16 | Biofertilizers, compost, and bio-digestates |
Healthy farm | |
3.1.17 | Animal care and animal welfare during transport and production |
3.1.18 | Livestock efficiency/management/biosecurity |
3.1.19 | Crop protection (incl. the prevention of crop disorders and the use of plant protection products) |
3.1.20 | Integrated pest/disease management |
3.1.21 | Plant and animal breeding for resilience and robustness |
(b) Bioeconomy skills—Forestry and related industries | |
Skill No. | Production operations, technologies, and production approaches |
3.2.1 | Characteristics of forests, geographical differences, and ownership patterns |
3.2.2 | Sustainable forest management practices, and planning |
3.2.3 | The reforestation, afforestation, and restoration of forest ecosystems |
3.2.4 | Forest equipment/machinery and maintenance |
3.2.5 | Health and safety management and operations |
3.2.6 | Calculating, handling, and managing risk |
3.2.7 | Products of forestry incl. harvesting on the focus of high quality/high value logs (right shaping of logs), logs for construction, timber for the pulp and paper industry, and timber for energy supply (material use before energy use) |
3.2.8 | Process operations in the pulp, paper, timber, and cork industry |
3.2.9 | Safety and health in the pulp, paper, timber, and cork industry |
3.2.10 | Equipment/machinery and maintenance in the pulp, paper, timber, and cork industry |
3.2.11 | Automation in the pulp, paper timber and cork industry |
3.2.12 | New technologies in pulp, paper, timber, and cork manufacturing |
Healthy forest | |
3.2.13 | The prevention and management of natural disturbances (e.g., floods, drought, and forest fires) |
3.2.14 | Seedling damage incl. that caused by e.g., deer, moose, and other mammals |
3.2.15 | Forest disease control and prevention |
3.2.16 | Water quality in forests |
(c) Bioeconomy skills—Food industry | |
Skill No. | Skills for food quality and food safety |
3.3.1 | Quality management, quality assurance, and quality control incl. sensory evaluation |
3.3.2 | Food safety management, food hygiene, and food safety control |
Skills for food production and manufacturing (industrial performance) | |
3.3.3 | Cleaning and preparation |
3.3.4 | Production operations and management (incl. milk processing) |
3.3.5 | Health and safety management |
3.3.6 | Engineering maintenance |
3.3.7 | Preservation and packaging |
3.3.8 | Shop floor control and other control operations |
3.3.9 | Risk assessment and management |
3.3.10 | Continuous improvement |
Logistics and supply chain skills | |
3.3.11 | Supply to production and supplier management |
3.3.12 | Transportation (modalities and planning) and logistics management |
3.3.13 | Management of inventories incl. goods received, pick and pack, storage and storage systems (FIFO), and stock management |
3.3.14 | Traceability |
Other skills | |
3.3.15 | Food security |
3.3.16 | Ethics for food |
3.3.17 | Emerging technologies |
3.3.18 | Food labelling/certifications |
3.3.19 | Food defense |
3.3.20 | Food fraud |
Skill No. | Fundamental Soft Skills |
---|---|
4.1 | Communication with others at work and in the daily life, languages, reporting and briefing, public speaking, and press releases |
4.2 | Problem solving |
4.3 | Analytical, critical, and creative thinking |
Self-management skills | |
4.4 | Demonstrating positive attitudes and behaviors |
4.5 | Being resilient, adaptable, and proactive |
4.6 | Organization, planning, visioning, and strategic thinking |
4.7 | Equality skills interculturalism, gender, empowerment, harassment |
4.8 | Safety awareness |
4.9 | Reflecting on own performance |
Team working and interpersonal skills | |
4.10 | Team building incl. conflict resolution, negotiation, flexibility |
4.11 | Teamwork character incl. responsibility, honesty, empathy |
4.12 | Conflict management |
4.13 | Change management |
Business soft skills | |
4.14 | Providing leadership |
4.15 | Managing personnel incl. delegating, motivating, assessing |
4.16 | Networking |
4.17 | Innovative thinking |
Education skills | |
4.18 | Digital tools to support learning and distance learning |
4.19 | Learning at work incl. learning by doing, learning from others (mentoring, shadowing, etc.) and teaching each other |
4.20 | Learning continuously (lifelong learning) |
4.21 | Training others incl. training skills, training tools, course design, assessment, etc. |
4.22 | STEM knowledge (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) to understand and cooperate through the whole food/bioproducts value chains |
Skill No. | Marketing Skills |
---|---|
5.1 | Monitoring market activity and conditions |
5.2 | Direct marketing in agriculture, food industry, and forestry |
5.3 | Sales and marketing |
5.4 | Local marketing associations |
5.5 | Selling skills building buy-in to an idea, a decision, an action, a product, or a service |
5.6 | Customers service |
Financial skills | |
5.7 | Business planning/model and strategic management incl. scenario foresighting/forecasting; recognizing and realizing business opportunities; Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) management, knowledge management, and stakeholder management |
5.8 | The basics of financial issues incl. balance sheets analysis |
5.9 | Purchasing/renting incl. equipment, structures, seeds, fertilizers, herbicides, animal feed, and other supplies) |
Fair, collaborative, and competitive value chains | |
5.10 | Cooperatives (values, legal framework, and management) |
5.11 | New value chains/new business models (incl. values-based supply chains and short food supply chains) |
5.12 | Collaboration/cooperation across all sectors in the food chain |
Skills for research, development, and innovation | |
5.13 | Social expectations/consumer science and behavior |
5.14 | Interdisciplinary knowledge to assess the whole value chain |
5.15 | Funding opportunities |
5.16 | Product development incl. laboratory and desk research |
5.17 | Project management |
5.18 | Knowledge transfer in the bioeconomy chains |
5.19 | Innovation management and its deployment on-site |
5.20 | Scale-up issues per sector incl. technical difficulties, costs, and volume calculations |
5.21 | The protection of intellectual property rights |
Compliance with policy and legislation | |
5.22 | Fiscal basis and regulations |
5.23 | Specific sector legislation incl. agricultural policy and legislation, food policy and legislation, and forest- and nature-related policies (EU and national legislations and marked-based systems covering natural resources and their management) |
5.24 | Food labelling/certifications |
5.25 | Farm environmental management plan |
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Country | Farmers | Cooperatives | Food Industry | Foresters | Forest Industry | Educators | Advisors | Other | TOT | Main Organizer |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Italy | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 13 | Confagricoltura 4 | ||
Ireland | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 13 | ICOS 5 | |
Spain/Portugal | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 10 | FIAB 6 | |||
Netherlands | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 8 | AERES 7 | |||
Austria | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 12 | LVA 8 | |
Germany | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 7 | UHOH 9 | |||
Greece | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | EFB 10 | |||
France | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 9 | AC3A 11 | ||||
Slovenia | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 8 | GZS 12 | |||
EU-Forest | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 14 | CEPI 13 | |||
EU-Policy | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 13 | FoodDrinkEurope 14 | ||
TOT | 14 | 12 | 12 | 7 | 3 | 35 | 16 | 14 | 113 |
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Mayor, L.; Lindner, L.F.; Knöbl, C.F.; Ramalho, A.; Berruto, R.; Sanna, F.; Rossi, D.; Tomao, C.; Goodburn, B.; Avila, C.; et al. Skill Needs for Sustainable Agri-Food and Forestry Sectors (I): Assessment through European and National Focus Groups. Sustainability 2022, 14, 9607. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14159607
Mayor L, Lindner LF, Knöbl CF, Ramalho A, Berruto R, Sanna F, Rossi D, Tomao C, Goodburn B, Avila C, et al. Skill Needs for Sustainable Agri-Food and Forestry Sectors (I): Assessment through European and National Focus Groups. Sustainability. 2022; 14(15):9607. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14159607
Chicago/Turabian StyleMayor, Luis, Line F. Lindner, Christoph F. Knöbl, Ana Ramalho, Remigio Berruto, Francesca Sanna, Daniele Rossi, Camilla Tomao, Billy Goodburn, Concha Avila, and et al. 2022. "Skill Needs for Sustainable Agri-Food and Forestry Sectors (I): Assessment through European and National Focus Groups" Sustainability 14, no. 15: 9607. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14159607
APA StyleMayor, L., Lindner, L. F., Knöbl, C. F., Ramalho, A., Berruto, R., Sanna, F., Rossi, D., Tomao, C., Goodburn, B., Avila, C., Leijdens, M., Stollewerk, K., Bregler, M., Koidis, C., Morin, A., Miličić, V., Fadini, G., Lazaro-Mojica, J., & Busato, P. (2022). Skill Needs for Sustainable Agri-Food and Forestry Sectors (I): Assessment through European and National Focus Groups. Sustainability, 14(15), 9607. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14159607