EU Food Security HUB closes its first year preparing the Competence Framework and the Food Security VET Training Program

The EU Food Security HUB project closes its first year with a highlight on the efforts made to address sustainability and food security.

In this initial phase, the consortium carried out a participatory action analysis to delineate professional pathways for green jobs. This involved comprehensive questionnaires to compile the collective expertise of partners, curation of around 20 best practices, and an in-depth analysis of competencies among VET professionals within each practice. This collaborative effort has culminated in the development of a draft of the Competence Framework, expected to be released at the beginning of 2024.

In addition, the partner organizations have started to develop the cross-sector Food Security VET Training Program. This program is scheduled for testing in 2024 during the Exchanges and Peer-Learning Workshops across five locations: El Prat de Llobregat, Palermo, Aubagne, Piacenza, and Athens. Additionally, complementary training materials, including an online open course and a Toolkit for professionals, are beginning to take form and will also undergo testing during these workshops.

Dissemination activities have kicked off, such as the project website launch and the showcasing of best practices in sustainable agriculture and food sustainability, primarily through Instagram. Meanwhile, EQU with partners’ support, has initiated efforts toward EU Guidelines aiding local governments in establishing or reinforcing approaches to tackle food insecurity.

European meeting ‘Food for Thought’

Finally, it’s worth highlighting the European meeting “Food For Thought” which took place in Milan in July, allowing the partner organizations to exchange ideas between them and with experts in the food and agriculture field. The event featured three itineraries: the first one focused on training for food security, emphasizing support for vulnerable beneficiaries, combating stigma, and ensuring training sustainability; the second one addressed challenges in food security, including funding limitations, social awareness, and involving local governments; and the third itinerary centered on advocating for food security in local councils, raising awareness about its benefits, fostering collaboration among stakeholders, exploring local governments’ role, and establishing a pan-European network for change.

The “Food For Thought” meeting invited associations to introduce their good practices and initiatives, such as Ciauli Coop, Espigoladors, Cosmonauti A.P.S., Projecte Alimenta, La Botiga, Bugday Dinergi, EkoRozwoju Foundation and Anadolu Meraları, among others. The event also counted relevant profiles from the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact (Municipality of Milan), Barcelona City Council, El Prat de Llobregat City Council, Palermo Municipality and Barcelona University.

The EU Food Security Hub project, funded by the Erasmus+ program, is running from January 2023 and June 2025, in collaboration with: IASIS (Greece); Land Impresa sociale (Italy); Estrategies de Qualitat Urbana (Spain);  ACRA (Italy); Reseau International Urgenci (France).