1. PILOT TRAINING COURSE ON MULTIFUNCTIONAL FARMERS' EDUCATIVE ROLE
Call: IT02-KA KA2 - Cooperation for Innovation and the Exchange of Good Practices-Strategic Partnerships for adult education
PILOT TRAINING COURSE ON
MULTIFUNCTIONAL FARMERS' EDUCATIVE ROLE
Marsaskala, Malta 14 – 18 May 2018
Activity C2 - Blended mobility of adult learners
Sustainability as a transversal cultural content of each multifunctional service
By Antonietta Stinga 1

2. ZOOM ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY
A draft outline for how education to sustainability could be used across all training modules for each kind of multifunctional farm / farmer.
Environmental mangement and promotion of sustainability are crucial for the multifunctional activities and also to integrate farmers' income.
The following lines only try to suggest two or three interpretations, to relate the different types of multifunctionality to the issue of sustainability.

3. AGRITOURISM AND SUSTAINABILITY
AGRITOURISM, for being successful, has to attract a specific target of people who is looking for a nature holiday by:
having a minimum impact on the agriculture, adopting organic methods or other low environmental impact systems
innovative systems to produce renewable energies (heat and electric)
a good management of water, adopting saving systems
a good management of waste, based on selective collection and reuse of waste.

4. For a successful agritourism, it’s important to look after:
the style of buildings and furniture, which must be simple and match with the environment / landscape
the interaction with the guests related to the farm activities
the farmer must provide a breakfast based on local products or offer to the guests some home made products in case of rented apartments or camping,
landscape and territory are the main resources of rural areas, it is important that farmers offer the opportunity to their guests to make the most of them.

5. promotion of the territory: realizing handbooks, guides, web sites and other tools crucial for the enhancement of the territory
promotion of traditions and local cuisine
creation of itineraries: trekking paths, itineraries through nature and traditions, local museums and so on
organization of social and cultural events: festivals, fairs, concerts, exhibitions
Many of the above activities can be organized by the very farmer or within a small network of close farmers.

6. EDUCATIONAL FARM AND SUSTAINABILITY
Educational farms are an answer to the request of information on agrofood products, farming techniques, farmer’s profession, agricultural traditions, rural culture, biodiversity, animal wellness.
The most important educative objectives consist in:
improving knowledge and consciousness about food and respect for the environment.
promoting knowledge of regional and local products (km 0).
promoting synergy between healthy nutrition and open air activity.
The contents of the educational paths are all oriented towards sustainability and the development of the territory: for being successful, an EDUCATIONAL FARMER has to plan educational activities on the farm, aimed at environmental protection, food education/energy saving importance/ conservation of the rural landscape.

7. Therefore the main areas of content (as a description of the concept of sustainability) are the following:
CARE FOR NATURE: both the territorial balance and its natural resources are the main value for the farmers, in order to ensure the future production.
NO WASTE: in the farm management nothing goes to waste; each part of plants and animals is used to prepare and preserve aliments, to produce energy, to enrich the land
CRAFTSMANSHIP: in rural tradition, handicraft is very important, concerning both the production of quality food and the production of useful and long lasting tools.
SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS: in rural areas the sense of community is still very strong, they help each other and promote the mutual exchange among members of the community.

8. DIRECT SELLING AND SUSTAINABILITY
“A sustainable economy in accordance with natural conditions produces not only food and raw materials of high quality, but also provides other services. Farmers are part of a regional and energy-efficient circular flow economy. Peasant work produces cultural added value. It is at the same time a sample for our modern industry and service society. Community-based efforts, such as involving citizens, the public sector, economic development interests, non-agricultural businesses and civil organisations in issues related to the role, safety, quality, and sustainability of agriculture and its products in our communities are essential to the future of European agriculture. Agriculture is an integral component of the economy, society and environment." (ifls - Institut für Ländliche Strukturforschung, Multifunctionality – The State of the Art, AgriMultifunctionality II EU Education and Culture DG).

9. A farmer, involved in promoting and direct selling of agricultural products has an important role about sustainability.
Indeed, he can promote and explain directly to the customer-citizens the characteristics of the products, with particular attention to typical local products and organic products, showing a link between virtuous products and sustainable behaviour.

10. The main links between farmer and consumer can be the following:
regional and local products (lower environmental impact in transport).
certified quality
seasonality of products
origin and path of food from farm to table (lower environmental impact / defence of the landscape)
rural tradition / traditional cooking methods promotion
revalue ancient and forgotten fruits (biodiversity).

11. The farmer can produce informative and educational materials to disseminate during events / tastings / activities of consumers' active involvement.
The farmer can develop projects for the promotion and marketing of farm and local products during public events

12. SOCIAL FARM AND SUSTAINABILITY
The role of social farms in the direction of sustainability is mainly addressed to social sustainability, such as:
to promote social inclusion in rural areas in order to maintain the survival of populations in rural area;
to open new bridges between rural areas and urban ones;
to re-establishe links among local resources and needs, economy and social issues;
to stimulate the innovation in order to re-adapt traditional attitudes (subsistence farms and mutual help-nets);
to help matching new needs due to social/economic crisis
to work to let grown local knowledge by exchanging and organizing collective learning processes