ECHOING+: Youth learn how to turn the ambitious climate crisis into an opportunity

Global warming and climate change are challenging the ways we live and work. At the same time, they are evoking serious consequences for human health; epidemic (e.g. coronavirus) biodiversity and ecosystems.Climate action is at the heart of the European Green Deal – an ambitious package of measures ranging from ambitiously cutting greenhouse gas emissions, to investing in cutting-edge research and innovation, to preserving (EC 2019 28 member and 4 non-EU country based semester reports, EU Green Deal 2020 report, Paris Agreement, 2017 Lisbon Contract.). Nearly 60% of the global population live in urban areas. Global population is projected to reach 9.8 billion by 2050 as UN states. Industrial agriculture produces enough food to feed the world as a whole (2790 kcal/person/day in 2006-08), but 32% of all food produced is wasted. The logistics of food production and transportation are largely to blame although in developed countries a substantial amount of food is wasted at the point of consumption. As a result, overall global food availability is lower than it would otherwise be, requiring the planet’s agricultural system to produce additional food to compensate for the wasted food production. Consequently, The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimates 795 million of the 7.3 billion people in the world, or one person in nine, suffer from chronic undernourishment. In order to feed the population in 2050, we need to produce an additional 6,000 trillion kcal per year. However, conventional industrial agriculture is not sustainable. It is one of the most harmful industries to our planet, responsible for:
• 70% of the planet’s water use
• up to 24% of greenhouse gas emissions
• degradation of soil and groundwater pollution

ECHOING wants to provide opportunities for entrepreneurial empowerment to youth in the field of vertical farming (in-door farming), which is a growing business sector, which was worth $3 billion globally (2019) and it is predicted to grow to $22 billion) through producing high-quality learning and practical orientation resources and digital modules of learning. ECHOING score is to enhance the hard/soft entrepreneurial skills of youth in a more authentic environment where they can gain real experience in time management, professional communication, and cooperation, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and gain confidence while working for a real purpose. Our primary purpose is to educate YOUTH, public and YOUTH WORKERS and educators in vertical farming business field to decrease air pollution, fight against climate change and increase employability skills of young people.

CONCRETE OBJECTIVES OF ECHOING+:

– To develop an education package on building a vertical farm for the target group of young people aged 17-30
and youth workers, including high-quality blended/hybrid learning materials, combining theoretical background
with all practical technical, organizational, legal, and financial aspects of building a vertical farm.
– To pilot a digital educational resources with non-formal methodological approach: e-learning modules (See
Production of the Results section).
– To support the young people in developing their vertical farm-related businesses.
– To promote the importance of opportunities of vertical farms,.
– To fight against climate change.
– To raise employment rate.
– To promote how easy to grow organic food in cities’ limited facilities.
– To develop the entrepreneurial mindset and related hard/soft skills in young people in the field of VERTICAL farming business initiatives and start-ups.
– To increase the quality of youth work by introduction new fields in youth work
– To organise an EU-wide outreach and inclusion campaigns
– To establish a small vertical farm:
-To equip young people, youth workers, youth associations and wider communities with the skills and competencies to take innovative actions on climate change.
-To build the capacities of youth organizations in the field of eco-urban entrepreneurship
-To increase capacities of the partners’ organizations in the management of eco-urban entrepreneurship projects.
-To increase competencies of the youth workers in the field of eco-urban entrepreneurship
-To strengthen European collaboration of the participating organizations
-To increase experience in the management of long-term projects with multiple partners

RESULTS OF ECHOING+:

RESULT 1: Eco-Friendly Business creation hand book for young people which includes:
1- integrating methodologies of self-learning supporting them in giving shape to and developing their vertical farming entrepreneurial ideas – provides useful information, VERTİCAL farming entrepreneurial skills development exercises and practical guidelines for actual/prospective youth entrepreneurs in the planning and running of their own business.

RESULT 2: ECO-Friendly Training Toolkit for Trainers. The Toolkit will integrate guidelines and methods of NFE tailored to the needs of youth workers willing to implement educational programmes to empower prospective entrepreneurs.

RESULT 3: Online modules and Web Platform. Partners will produce a specific Web Platform with integrated eLearning modules in multiple languages targeted at an audience of youth prospective entrepreneurs in Europe. The modules will provide the target with useful and practical information and exercises supporting them in the design and development of their own VERTICAL farms.

RESULT 4: Beyond Acting on Climate Change! will be developed and the whole community will be educated and informed about the potential of vertical farmings. ”Turn the ambitious climate crises into opportunity” and ”Feed your City”

RESULT 5: ”Feed Your City” With the RESULT we will aim to develop a campaign starting from local to Europe level. The campaign will aim to increase produce and consume organic food/plants in homes/gardens/ even in empty rooms for families and companies.