How can farmers acquire the skills needed to implement circular economy practices? A recent article, Strengthening AKIS for Sustainable Agricultural Features (Kountios et al., 2024), highlights that the transition towards more sustainable agriculture depends not only on technologies and policies, but also on knowledge, training, and advisory systems.
The article focuses on Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS), showing how they help connect farmers, advisors, researchers, and institutions in the exchange of practical and innovative solutions. This is especially important for circular agriculture, where practices such as nutrient recycling, efficient resource use, and the valorisation of by-products often require local adaptation and continuous learning.
Farmers should not be seen as passive recipients of innovation, but as active participants in knowledge creation and testing. For this reason, vocational education, advisory services, and lifelong learning are essential to make circular economy principles applicable in everyday agricultural practice.
In this context, the ReVaCy project is fully aligned with current European priorities. By developing educational materials and promoting practical learning on circular economy and regional value cycles, the project
- Kountios G. et al. (2024), Strengthening AKIS for Sustainable Agricultural Features, Sustainability:
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/16/7068