Our global food system is the main culprit of accelerating biodiversity loss. The conversion of land for agriculture and the intensification of agriculture is degrading or severely damaging natural habitats, therewith, pushing many species to the brink of extinction. We need an urgent transformation of how food is grown, produced, and used.
Are you interested to learn how to protect and conserve biodiversity?
Do you want to enhance your entrepreneurship skills to transform the agri-food sector?
Do you want to know how digital technologies can be used to sustain biodiversity?
Then, join us at the Sustainable Agriculture for Biodiversity Inspire programme!
The Sustainable Agriculture for Biodiversity Inspire Programme aims to develop a new generation of entrepreneurs and innovators that is equipped to shape a new kind of food system that is innovative, resilient, and sustainable.
You, as talented individuals will become entrepreneurial as Inspire will provide you with knowledge on design thinking, business idea development, entrepreneurial self-efficacy, team building, market research, risk analysis, negotiation, pitching and much more.
You will be able to improve your knowledge on how to combat climate change and how to reverse biodiversity loss, whilst designing innovative solutions for the agriculture sector. All of this with the support and coaching from EIT Food top experts in AgriFood, innovation, sustainability, and growth strategy.
In this programme, you will learn about:
Unsustainable vs. Sustainable agriculture practices
The ai potential to accelerate global efforts to protect the environment and conserve biodiversity
Ways to stop the loss and degradation of carbon- and species-rich ecosystems
Resilience for biodiversity & food
How to re-nature the cities & boost the ecosystem health
What is community-based biodiversity conservation
Design thinking, business idea development, entrepreneurial self-efficacy, team building, market research, risk analysis, negotiation, pitching
Governance & finance in agriculture, inclusive business models, and much more!
This programme is open to Bachelor students, Masters Students, PhD students, Posts-Docs, young professionals, or aspiring entrepreneurs interested in sustainable agriculture. We are interested in individuals from multidisciplinary backgrounds to work in teams to come up with innovative ideas e.g. Ecological Sciences, Food Sciences, Engineering, Business / International Relations, Marketing, Informatics and Computational Science, among others.
Participants must meet the following criteria:
Have an interest in the agricultural sector and in innovation, especially digital innovation;
Are willing to devote the necessary time to the 3-week programme which can be enjoyed in synchronous and asynchronous mode;
A good level of spoken and written English.
Advantages
After the three-week programme, you will be able to:
Understand the modern agricultural sector and how to protect and conserve biodiversity.
Transform business ideas and innovations into sustainable solutions with the help of new technologies.
Expand your network and meet new, relevant expertise and businesses, from farmers to technologists, research to support services.
Identify and evaluate the impact of methods and technologies applied to agricultural activities and understand how digital technologies can be used to sustain biodiversity.
Understand the importance to combating climate change and how to reverse biodiversity loss.
Improve your presentation and communication skills (including public pitching).
Enhance your teamwork skills by promoting a culture of innovation and co-creation
Reflect on social, societal, scientific, and environmental sustainability impacts when developing new products/technologies and business models in agricultural sector.
Be informed about European and international job opportunities.
Duration & Dates
The programme lasts 3 weeks, from the 7th of November until the 25th of November 2022.
The programme is divided in three weeks and as many modules:
1st module: focus on the concept of sustainability in agriculture and respect for biodiversity, as well as the principles of the circular economy and short supply chain;
2nd module: aspects of digital innovation in agriculture will be explored
3rd module: tools to learn how to manage agricultural activities in relation to sustainable and innovative agriculture.
These three weeks will see the involvement of an incredible team from the University of Cambridge who will deliver the Entrepreneurship Spine module in synchronous and asynchronous mode.
You will have the opportunity to engage with our leading trainers and mentors on our online, fully interactive learning platform. By learning online with us, you will have a much greater flexibility and the comfort to learn at times and from locations that suit you and from your own home or workplace. You will not only have access to Inspire excellent resources but also become part of the inspiring EIT Food community.
