Ragusa, May 23, 2025 – Yesterday, in the evocative setting of the Auditorium Santa Teresa in Ragusa Ibla, the workshop “Green Skills in the Transition for Sustainable Agriculture” took place. The event, organized as part of the European aGREENculture project, is funded by the Erasmus+ VET (Vocational Education and Training) program, underscoring the EU’s commitment to professional training and the development of innovative skills.
The meeting brought together young farmers, agribusiness entrepreneurs, experts, and stakeholders to address a topic of increasing importance: the need for new green skills to drive the green and digital transition of the agricultural sector, in line with the ambitious goals of the European Green Deal and the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
The project, which involves the collaboration of partners from Greece, Italy, and Turkey, aims to define and develop the profile of the “Green Transition Professional in the Agricultural Sector.” Yesterday’s workshop provided a unique opportunity to gather direct insights from companies, identifying the challenges and opportunities related to the adoption of sustainable practices, with a particular focus on organic farming, precision agriculture, and the circular economy.
Throughout the day, valuable insights emerged from discussions with sector operators, who emphasized the importance of investing in professional training and upskilling to bridge the skills gap and prepare companies for a more sustainable and competitive future. The testimonies collected will directly contribute to the definition of the curriculum and didactic material that the aGREENculture project will develop in the coming months, with the goal of training 35 trainers of trainers at a European level.
Acknowledgements and significant contributions
Special thanks go to the Special Didactic Structure of Ragusa of the University of Catania for hosting the event, particularly to the Di3A Department and Prof. Guarnaccia and Prof. Luciano for their invaluable support. We also thank the Order of Agronomists and Foresters of the Province of Ragusa and President Dipietro for his presence and support. The participation of the Councillors of the Municipality of Ragusa, Giorgio Massari and Giovanni Iacono, further confirmed the deep interest of the territory in the agricultural sector and its positive impacts across the board.
“The green transition is not just a challenge, but a huge opportunity for the agriculture of our territory,” stated Giovanni Iacono, President of SVI.MED. ETS, Euro-Mediterranean center for sustainable development.
Next steps and collaboration
The fundamental contribution from businesses will prove crucial for outlining concrete and cutting-edge training pathways. It is precisely these programs that will forge new professional skills, projecting the agricultural sector towards greater competitiveness. To precisely shape the future training modules for specialists in the green transition in agriculture, we invite all participants to actively share their workshop experience and complete the training needs questionnaire. The relevant links have already been made available.
The presentations by the speakers and the results of the participatory sessions on Mentimeter are already available for consultation, testifying to the great interest and numerous insights that emerged during the event.
For further information on the project and to stay updated on all activities, please visit the svimed.eu website and follow their social media channels: