Center of Vocational Excellence for Climate Smart Agriculture in South Africa
Climate-smart technology supports food security and a sustainable environment. It is an answer to the effects of climate change which make agricultural development in Africa more challenging than ever before. Climate-smart production depends on technology transformation and a modern skilled workforce. The proposed CoVE SA project is implemented in South Africa (SA). It is a joint initiative of 2 SA TVET schools, 2 EU and 1 SA academic partners, and 1 SA private partner. It gets full support from key public and private stakeholders. The project will educate TVET students to become the responsive, digitally skilled, and sustainable-oriented sector professionals that South Africa’s future greatly needs. The aim of the project is to integrate Vocational Excellence in the climate-smart horti/agriculture sector, thereby ensuring high quality skills and competences that lead to quality jobs and careers, meeting the needs of an innovative, inclusive, and sustainable rural economy.
Objectives and activities are:
- Expand the holistic approach of the EU-CoVE model to Vocational Excellence in SA’s horti/agriculture sector, by securing a central role of TVET in regional innovation ecosystems (CoVE hubs), and further developing strong and lasting relationships between TVET, research, and industry.
- To expand the EU CoVE concept geographically in a sustainable way (environmentally and economically) in line with the EU Green Deal context, by setting up and interlinking CoVE networks in SA and the region (Zambia and/or Ghana).
- Drive innovation in horti/agriculture related TVETs in SA and the regional, by developing modern, digital, learning materials.
- Ensure that current and future sector professionals have the required key skills & competences, by developing innovative and blended learning programs.
- Increasing student’s, teacher’s, and professional’s competence to become active outside their regions by organising blended and face-to-face internation
Types of services provided
- Capacity building
- Consulting
- Coaching
The local VET consortium in South Africa is to set up to complement VET partners with the EU expertise in setting up their local CoVE hubs and accordingly position in society. VET’s are moreover equipped to become more in the lead to build on mutual beneficial services for main stakeholders, resulting in sustainable partnerships and collaborations to deliver better skilled students as being future workers for these parties.
- Building on Triple Helix, stakeholders’ constructs and Knowledge Triangle cooperation. Bringing the EU CoVE concept to South Africa.
- Conducting Labor market needs analysis with VET’s and industry representatives.
- Improve Research and technological skills in the smart agricultural sector.
- Building on inclusive Digital Education with short online professional courses.
- Dissemination of local South African experts/ EU and worldwide networks.
The project is Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
Project news
Global Insights and Practical Skills: Reflections on MSM’s Project Management Programme
