DESIRA will develop the concept of Socio-Cyber-Physical Systems to advance understanding of the impact of digitisation in rural areas, linking analysis directly to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. Operationalising the Responsible Research and Innovation approach, DESIRA will enrol agriculture, forestry and rural stakeholders in co-developing scenarios and policies in Living Labs established in 20 European Regions, and a Rural Digitization Forum gathering 250 stakeholders from all Europe. A Virtual Research Environment tailored to the purposes of the project will connect all participants and allow to increase substantially the interaction within the network. DESIRA will provide a Taxonomy and Inventory of Digital Game changers which will be implemented into an online Visualization Tool, a Set of Socio-Economic Impact Indicators aligned to the Sustainability Development Goals implemented into an online Socio-Economic Impact Tool, a Pan-European Assessment of digitization in European rural regions, a Needs, Expectations and Impact appraisal report, a Comparative Scenario Report based on scenario development activities of Living Labs and the Rural Digitization Forum, a Policy analysis and Roadmap, an Ethical Code to be adopted by researchers and innovators and recommended by policy bodies, five Use Cases that will report a further analysis – co-created by Living Labs with the support of ICT specialists - of the most promising solutions identified by Living Labs, Showcase Technologies - including a Virtual Farm Platform - that will create a selection of proof of concepts suggested by Use Cases. A detailed, multi-media dissemination, engagement and communication strategy will accompany the project from the beginning, looking at research as a multifunctional (research, engagement and communication) process and at the same time involving communication specialists in the development of adequate messages and in the choice of the most effective media.

Oper8 will set-up a self-sustainable, multi-actor, EU-wide Thematic Network to support and promote solutions for non-chemical weed control by building upon the knowledge and outcomes of 8 Operational Groups 7 countries, and stimulate knowledge exchange among all relevant actors and stakeholders. With the ambition to achieve a high impact and improve the sustainability of the European agricultural sector, the synthesis of partner OGs is based on their expertise, geographical location, novelty of solutions, as well as the established connections with the AKIS actors. Special emphasis has been placed on collaboration schemes among these OGs that progress at a different pace providing the opportunity to learn from the ‘early birds’, which will bring hands-on experience. The project will follow a multi-actor approach, implement a bottom up and top down model and build upon co-creation & cross fertilisation activities to help farmers access up-to-date knowledge, tools and techniques, applicable to specific conditions and needs.To this end, Oper8 will: (i) establish a stakeholder engagement processes to assemble the 7 National Networks (NNs); (ii) capture the drivers, barriers, and root causes of lack of non-chemical weed control adoption as part of a bottom-up approach; (iii) establish cross-fertilisation activities within and between the NNs to co-create, showcase, and evaluate non-chemical weed control methods; and (iv) deploy knowledge transfer tools and techniques (workshops, demo farms, CAP Measures) to adapt and scale up alternative weed control solutions and ensure their diffusion across EU. A series of actions (e.g., demonstration activities, policy recommendations and training sessions) for integrating project results into the CAP National strategic plans will be implemented, strengthening the AKIS and, ultimately, paving the way towards a transition to a sustainable agriculture in adherence to the Green Deal and its Farm to Fork strategy.

"In order to promote the development of a knowledgeable society and to learn about innovative solutions, within the framework of the Erasmus + project, 13 members of the Farmers' Parliament - practise teachers participated in the mobility of exchange of experience in France and Denmark. According to the European Development Plan, the problems of the Latvian agricultural sector were identified and objectives set for the project .The goal of learning mobility is to provide people with lifelong learning the skills, abilities and competences that promote their professional development, employment and the prospect of joining the European labor market, and supports the introduction of innovations and the improvement of quality systems in vocational education and training institutions and the system as a whole.The targets were met because of the experience of mobility in terms of effective management (using experience exchange countries), cost reduction options and wiser smart management, taking into account climate change and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the crop, livestock and vegetable sectors: protein crop production in Denmark, development of vegetable production and seed production in France. In addition, there is acquired the pedagogical knowledge and skills that contribute to the transfer of knowledge to future farmers more qualitatively.Project participants - practitioners who work in the ""Farmers' Parliament"" have added knowledge, skills and competences in the field of professional pedagogy and new agricultural technologies to provide a more complete set of practical knowledge for students of vocational education institutions.Project results or benefits (implemented according to the project application):1) Get acquainted with the organisation of agricultural practices in France and Denmark, information on practice programs, co-operation of practitioners with educational institutions, opportunities to influence educational programs and qualification standards;2) cognized flow of information and knowledge management in agricultural raw material - vegetable seed production, protein crop production technologies, agri-environmental measures and agriculture as a whole;3) the latest trends in agricultural sectors have been studied;4) explore possibilities for reducing operating costs and optimizing their efficiency, balancing with the management of existing resources, in order to reduce environmental pollution and promote biodiversity conservation, and to ensure the production of high quality products, promoting the use of integrated cultivation methods (CropManager program);5) the possibilities of reduced innovation and / or reduction of the cycle of agricultural processes;6) intellectual property management;7) ensure further cooperation with partners and implementation of joint projects;8) facilitating the acquisition of a professional foreign language and a brief acquaintance with the cultural and historical heritage. 9) the prestige of agricultural sectors was attracted for attraction of new specialists; 10) inter-sectoral cooperation.The main lesson is to ensure quality practice for learners by collaborating with a vocational school student in all three stages of the organization / implementation of the practice (before, during and after the practice).Participants in Danish mobility, as the most important, recognize the establishment of high-quality grazing, more protein crops for planting, responsible attitudes towards the environment. The French experience shows that it is very important to undertake qualitative soil and water analysis for seed production. It is a fact of both mobilities that practical placement programs must be provided at appropriate places of practice, appropriate living conditions, and explain how the work in question is done in the right way and why.The attractive participant will prepare a Europass Curriculum Vitae (CV), which will be sent to the host organizations, so that they can get a detailed look at the profile of each member's professional teacher - the practice leader.The project gained the skills and competencies assessed with the Europass CV documents. A broad dissemination campaign carried out. The project makes a major impact, or a great contribution to the Zemnieku Saeima supervisor/ practice provider/practice teacher competence and students preparing to be competitive in the job market. In local, regional, national and international including European level."

187 students benefited from mobility in Europe accompanied by 31 staff members. 2 to 5 week mobilities, according to the sending organizations' choice represented one forst step towards the discovery of European Union. The project aloowed the students to approach a bit more than a dozen countries and the reality of their professional sectors in a European context. Teachers have noticed that student's motivation for language learning activities had increased after their mobility since they had to cope with the necessity to communicate in everyday life as in professional situations while they were abroad. Between the third and the fourth edition of the project, some of the work placements countries have become regular partners : Belgium, Czech Republic, Malta whereas some others stood out to start new partnerships : Portugal, Latvia.The cooperation between partners was improved for the benefit of rural students coming from socially and economically deprived areas. For these students, mobility definitely represents an opportunity to develop professional, social and personal skills that are the key ones for their future as citizens. The consortium has allowed Partner schools to focus on teaching and practical ascpects of vocational training periods but also on sharing and organizing activities dedicated to mobility preparation.The consortium carries on implementing its activities towards students mobility to help them planning their studies and becoming European citizens as defined in Paris Declaration made in march during the INFORMAL MEETING OF MINISTERS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION ON PROMOTING CITIZENSHIP AND THE COMMON VALUES OF FREEDOM, TOLERANCE AND NON-DISCRIMINATION THROUGH EDUCATION.

"Union Farmers Union has implemented the ERASMUS KA1 + project ""Vocational pedagogical skills in agriculture, horticulture and agro-environmental practices' managers”, which ' aim was to raise the professional teaching skills and competencies, as well as to acquire additional knowledge and skills in the agricultural sector practices in the organization, management, practice report evaluation, in collaboration with institutions of vocational education, qualification exam-making in the organization of the profession of days, etc.Participants in the project group consists of 4 ''Farmers' Parliament '' members - practice managers, which provides vocational training placements for students of agriculture. Job –shadowing programme were implemented in the Czech Republic.Project beneficiaries' results or benefits: 1) Knowledge about farming practices in Czech Republic: information on internship programs, mentor cooperation with educational institutions, opportunities to influence curriculum and qualification standards;2) Researched the flow of information and knowledge management in horticulture, agri-environmental activities running throughout the agricultural sector;3) Explored new and potential for agriculture-based industries e.g.processing of agriculture products and innovative products cultivation, processing and marketing/sales (e.g. logistics);4) Explored potential for cost savings and efficiency optimization and balancing with the management of resources in order to reduce environmental pollution and promote conservation of biological diversity, as well as provide high quality products, promoting integrated production methods in;5) Explored innovation and / or agricultural process cycle reduction options, precise farming;6) Researched information on cooperation between industries and stakeholders for rural development7) Provided further opportunities for cooperation with partners and joint projects;8) Promote the development and acquisition of terminology in English and a short presentation of the cultural and historical heritage.The project gained the skills and competencies will be assessed with the Europass Mobility documents and Certificate issued by Hosting organisation. A broad dissemination campaign will be carried out. Elaborated educational material provides guidance directly addressing the pedagogical aspects of agriculture and other sectors non-teaching professionals. The project made a major impact on Union ""Farmers Parliament"" supervisors/ practice providers' competence in order to ensure that students are able to be competitive in the job market on local, regional, national and international including European level."