The University of Seville launches HARVEST project to promote organic farming in Southeast Asia
HARVEST aims to transform agricultural practices and food systems in Southeast Asia.
The launch meeting of the Erasmus Plus Capacity Building project ‘HARVEST’, an ambitious project coordinated by the University of Seville and led by Professor Miguel A. Martín, took place on 19 December.
With a duration of three years and a budget of 900,000 euros, HARVEST aims to transform agricultural practices and food systems in Southeast Asia, following the principles of organic farming and global strategies such as the European Green Pact and the Paris Agreement.
The project, whose name refers to the harvest, aims to promote a transition towards more sustainable and ecological agricultural practices, as well as to combat climate change and food insecurity. In particular, HARVEST focuses on enabling higher education institutions in countries such as Indonesia, Cambodia and Vietnam to lead this transition through the creation of specialised micro-courses and micro-credentials. These courses will equip students with essential green competencies and cross-cutting skills, responding to the changing demands of the labour market and society.
The project not only deals with agriculture, but also addresses issues related to society and employment, seeking to integrate these micro-courses into the existing university curricula of the participating institutions. This competency-based and challenge-oriented approach will enable students to have a more comprehensive and applied training that is relevant to today’s needs.
HARVEST aims to transform farming practices and food systems in Southeast Asia, following the principles of organic farming and global strategies such as the European Green Pact and the Paris Agreement.
International university cooperation
Project participants include academic institutions and organisations from several countries. In addition to the University of Seville, which is leading the initiative, universities such as Universitas Kristen Indonesia, University of Lampung, Dalat University, Vietnam National University of Forestry, Svay Rieng University, Prek Leap National College of Agriculture, and the Kracow University of Agriculture in Poland are part of the consortium. Other participants include INCOMA, International Consulting and Mobility Agency (Spain), Aliansi Organis Indonesia, La Viet Coffee (Vietnam), and Sustainable Rural Development Center (SRD) of Vietnam.
A multidisciplinary team
The University of Seville will have a multidisciplinary team composed of experts in various areas such as food law and food security, agricultural economics, entrepreneurship, agricultural sciences, educational innovation and communication, with the collaboration of members of the agroecology and international relations group of the university. With this project, HARVEST is positioning itself as a benchmark in the fight for a more ecological and sustainable future in Southeast Asia.