In the office Dunav 1245, 19.10.2024. Rajko Marinković presented the project activities of the EcoScape project within the Erasmus + program, KA220-VET-C2C9D950, to all members of the assembly. The project started on August 31, 2024 and lasts until August 30, 2026. So far, one working meeting of the partners has been held. We did not travel to Wroclaw even though we had rooms booked, due to the general danger of high water levels on rivers in Poland. The topic of the project is biodiversity and augmented reality.
EcoScape has set three specific goals, each of which addresses key aspects of agricultural biodiversity conservation:
Objective SO1: Raising awareness of agricultural biodiversity
This objective focuses on increasing awareness among stakeholders of the critical importance of agriculture and biodiversity. It aims to foster an understanding of the interdependence between agriculture and biodiversity.
Objective SO2: Provide opportunities for learning and technical knowledge
The second goal aims to offer learning opportunities and prepare farmers and educators with the technical knowledge necessary for effective biodiversity conservation. It aims to empower individuals with the expertise needed to make informed decisions in agricultural practices.
Objective SO3: Proposing innovative knowledge transfer
The third objective introduces an innovative approach to knowledge transfer, the use of technology and digitization. It aims to improve the availability and effectiveness of educational content in the field of agricultural biodiversity conservation.
To achieve these goals, EcoScape will develop the following outputs:
R1: Training format for biodiversity conservation in agriculture
This tailored training format will be based on research evidence, providing a structured educational program to increase understanding and skills related to biodiversity conservation in agriculture.
R2: An e-learning course on agricultural land biodiversity management
An e-learning course focusing on farmland biodiversity management will be developed. This course will be made freely available to anyone interested, allowing broad access to relevant knowledge.
R3: BioCheck application – augmented reality application
The BioCheck application is an innovative augmented reality application designed to effectively analyze elements and indicators related to the environmental impact of agricultural land. It will help identify alien species and offer concrete plans for crop diversification, rotation, natural pest control and management strategies adapted to different field zones.
The objectives of SO1 and SO2 are aligned with the priority of increasing the flexibility of vocational education and training (VET) opportunities. Comparative research will be conducted to understand the specific needs and situations in each country, enabling the development of a training program tailored to market requirements. The flexibility of the learning path will accommodate different territorial assets, ensuring the provision of high quality education.
The goal of SO3 primarily focuses on innovation within vocational education. EcoScape introduces a dual technology approach, comprising an e-learning course and a highly innovative digital training path based on augmented reality. These innovations relate both to the methods of educational delivery and to the content itself, improving the quality and availability of training.
In the implementation of the planned activities, we will need to include in the work five professors of agriculture, over 35 years of age with at least 5 years of work experience, who, together with their colleagues from partner countries, will participate in joint training led by the Agency for Rural Development of Zadar County from Croatia. We are waiting for the exact profile of the professors that we should include in the project. After creating the augmented reality application, we include at least 15 farmers in the project who will use the application for the next 4 months in their work and who must have at least 1 ha of land they cultivate. We have already held discussions on this topic with the president of the Network of LAGs of Serbia and received consent that they are interested in joining this project.
Participants tasted agricultural products from the agricultural farm “Veselinović” from Sremski Karlovci.
