Training the trainers: entrepreneurship enters the classrooms of the agri-food supply chain

There is a question that often comes up when discussing vocational education in the agri-food sector: are we really preparing our students for the world that awaits them?

Not only in technical terms — agronomic practices, food safety, supply chain sustainability — but also in terms of the ability to act, innovate and build something of their own.

It is a question that accompanies us, and one that has become even more concrete thanks to the Erasmus+ AgriFood4Future project, and the Work Package dedicated to the development of innovative teaching and training programmes for smart agriculture and sustainable food systems.

The starting point: entrepreneurship is not just about “doing business”

When we talk about entrepreneurial skills, we tend to immediately think of business plans, start-ups and financing. But the European EntreComp Framework tells us something broader and, ultimately, more in deep: entrepreneurship is the ability to transform ideas into actions that create value — social, cultural and economic.

For a student at an agri-food vocational school, this skill can mean knowing how to seize an opportunity in the local area, collaborating with a local cooperative, proposing a sustainable solution to a concrete problem in the supply chain, or simply having the courage to try.

It is a transversal skill. And as such, it does not grow on its own: it must be cultivated, methodically, by those who teach.

The crucial issue: the role of teachers

The European Commission has been saying it clearly for years: teachers are the key factor in entrepreneurial education. It is not enough to include the term “entrepreneurship” in the curriculum — those in the classroom need to know how to ignite that spark in students, how to create action-oriented learning environments, and how to integrate these skills into the subjects they already teach.

Yet, in the daily practice of vocational training, this is still partly “uncharted territory” There is often a gap between policies that promote entrepreneurial learning and what happens in VET classrooms.

This is not due to a lack of will, but to a lack of tools, clear pathways and supportive communities.

AgriFood4Future: a pathway designed for VET teachers

This is where Activity 4.5 of the AgriFood4Future project comes in, dedicated to improving the entrepreneurial skills of vocational education and training teachers in the agri-food sector through a peer-to-peer training process.

At the heart of the programme is the “Train the Trainers” pathway: a seven-step itinerary that accompanies VET teachers from Spain, Italy and Greece from discovering the EntreComp framework to sharing their skills with colleagues during national forums organised at COVE (Centres of VET Excellence) level.

The programme includes:

• an online course on teaching entrepreneurship, offered by the European Commission through the EU Academy platform;
• a shared e-learning platform for project partners, with resources, materials and a forum for European teachers to exchange ideas;
• a database of international mobility opportunities for VET teachers;
• and the very real possibility of becoming a trainer for your colleagues.

Download the handbook in English, Italian, Greek, Spanish

What we have learned so far

In September 2025, we organised a webinar — “Entrepreneurship Education for VET Trainers” — which brought together researchers, European Commission officials and university lecturers for a virtual round table discussion on the topic.

It was an opportunity to see first-hand how urgent and full of potential this topic is. Teachers participating in the programme not only acquire new skills but also build a network by interacting with colleagues from other countries.

Entrepreneurship, after all, starts right there: when you feel capable of making a difference.

Next steps

If you work in a vocational school in the agri-food sector, if you coordinate VET courses or if you are simply involved in how to better train the new generations in the primary sector, this programme is for you.

Because the future of agri-food does not depend solely on technology or agricultural policies. It also depends on how well we are able to train people who know how to imagine, build and act.

 

The AgriFood4Future project is co-funded by the European Union under the Erasmus+ programme.

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