Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-p9bg8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T12:12:44.004Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Knowledge and skills attractive for the employers of the organic sector: A survey across Europe

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 October 2019

Teresa Briz Open the ORCID record for Teresa Briz [Opens in a new window] ,
Peter von Fragstein und Niemsdorff ,
Emanuele Radicetti ,
Roberto Moscetti ,
Eeva Uusitalo ,
Sari Iivonen ,
Ritva Mynttinen ,
Jan Moudry Jr ,
Jan Moudry Sr  and
Petr Konvalina
...Show all authors
Teresa Briz*
Affiliation:
Department of Agricultural Economics, CEIGRAM. Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Avda. Puerta de Hierro, 2 28040Madrid, Spain
Peter von Fragstein und Niemsdorff
Affiliation:
Department of Organic Vegetable Production, University of Kassel, Nordbahnhofstr. 1a, D37213 Witzenhausen, Germany
Emanuele Radicetti
Affiliation:
Department of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences (DAFNE), University of Tuscia, Via S. Camillo de Lellis, snc. 01100 Viterbo, Italy
Roberto Moscetti
Affiliation:
Department for Innovation in Biological, Agro-food and Forest systems (DIBAF), University of Tuscia, Via S. Camillo de Lellis, snc. 01100 Viterbo, Italy
Eeva Uusitalo
Affiliation:
Ruralia Institute, University of Helsinki, Lönnrotinkatu 7 50100 Mikkeli, Finland
Sari Iivonen
Affiliation:
Finnish Organic Research Institute, Lönnrotinkatu 7, 50100 Mikkeli, Finland
Ritva Mynttinen
Affiliation:
Ruralia Institute, University of Helsinki, Lönnrotinkatu 7 50100 Mikkeli, Finland
Jan Moudry Jr
Affiliation:
Faculty of Agriculture, University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, Studentská 1668, 37005Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
Jan Moudry Sr
Affiliation:
Faculty of Agriculture, University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, Studentská 1668, 37005Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
Petr Konvalina
Affiliation:
Faculty of Agriculture, University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, Studentská 1668, 37005Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
Marek Kopecky
Affiliation:
Faculty of Agriculture, University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, Studentská 1668, 37005Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
Dominika Średnicka-Tober
Affiliation:
Department of Functional and Organic Food, Institute of Human Nutrition Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Nowoursynowska 159c, 02-776Warsaw, Poland
Renata Kazimierczak
Affiliation:
Department of Functional and Organic Food, Institute of Human Nutrition Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Nowoursynowska 159c, 02-776Warsaw, Poland
Liina Talgre
Affiliation:
Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 1, 51006, Tartu, Estonia
Darja Matt
Affiliation:
Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 1, 51006, Tartu, Estonia
Eve Veromann
Affiliation:
Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 1, 51006, Tartu, Estonia
Roberto Mancinelli
Affiliation:
Department of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences (DAFNE), University of Tuscia, Via S. Camillo de Lellis, snc. 01100 Viterbo, Italy
Ewa Rembiałkowska
Affiliation:
Department of Functional and Organic Food, Institute of Human Nutrition Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Nowoursynowska 159c, 02-776Warsaw, Poland
*
Author for correspondence: Teresa Briz, E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

In all countries, the organic sector of the agricultural industry is increasing, with Europe traditionally leading this trend. A survey of different stakeholders (employers) was carried out in 2015 in seven European countries to evaluate the employment market for the organic agricultural industry in Europe. Results indicate the willingness to employ qualified graduates. From the employers' perspective, the most desirable knowledge skills among the graduates of organic agricultural studies include plant production, food quality and plant protection. Further, the study revealed the work skills most desired by the employers are practical expertise, teamwork and problem-solving, and the most important method of learning is cooperation with enterprises (internships/training) in the organic agricultural sector.

Keywords

Educationemploymentorganicskillsstakeholders
Type
Research Paper
Information
Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems , Volume 35 , Issue 6 , December 2020 , pp. 710 - 719
Check for updates
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

*

The study is part of a European project ‘Innovative Education towards the Needs of the Organic Sector’ funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union.

References

Acker, DG (1999) Improving the quality of higher education in agriculture globally in the 21st century: constraints and opportunities. Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education 6, 47–53.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Akkamahadevi, H, Sreenivasulu, M, Sreenivasa, R and Lankati, M (2018) A study on knowledge level of farmers on organic red gram cultivation practices in drylands areas of Karnataka, India. International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences 7, 435–440.Google Scholar
Atkinson, J and Storey, D (1994) Small firms and employment. In Atkinson, J and Storey, D (eds), Employment, the Small Firm, and the Labour Market. London: Routledge, pp. 1–28.Google Scholar
Aubert, M and Enjolras, G (2017) French labour-force participation in organic farming. Human Systems Management 36, 163–172.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Breaugh, JA (2013) Employee recruitment. Annual Review of Psychology 64, 389–416.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Butun, E, Erkin, HC and Altintas, L (2008) A new teamwork-based PBL problem design for electrical and electronic engineering education: a systems approach. International Journal of Electrical Engineering Education 45, 110–120.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Byrla, P (2015) The development of organic food market as an element of sustainable development concept implementation. Problems of Sustainable Development 10, 79–88.Google Scholar
Carroll, M, Marchington, M, Earnshaw, J and Taylor, S (1999) Recruitment in small firms: processes, methods and problems. Employee Relations 21, 236–250.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Casagrande, M, Peigné, J, Payet, V, Mäder, P, Sans, FX, Blanco-Moreno, JM, Antichi, D, Bàrberi, P, Beeckman, A, Bigongiali, F, Cooper, J, Dierauer, H, Gascoyne, K, Grosse, M, Heß, J, Kranzler, A, Luik, A, Peetsmann, E, Surböck, A, Willekens, K and David, C (2016) Organic farmers’ motivations and challenges for adopting conservation agriculture in Europe. Organic Agriculture 6, 281–295.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chaplin, H, Davidova, S and Gorton, M (2004) Agricultural adjustment and the diversification of farm households and corporate farms in central Europe. Journal of Rural Studies 20, 61–77.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Eurostat (2018) Organic operators by status of the registration process (from 2012 onwards). EU Open Data Portal, Eurostat.Google Scholar
Flap, HD and Boxman, EAW (2001) Getting started: The influence of social capital on the start of the occupational career. In Lin, N, Cook, K and Burt, R (eds), Social Capital: Theory and Research. New York: Aldine de Gruyter, pp. 159–185.Google Scholar
Gërxhani, K and Koster, F (2015) Making the right move. Investigating employers’ recruitment strategies. Personnel Review 44, 781–800.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gil, AJ, Garcia-Alcaraz, JL and Mataveli, M (2015) The training demand in organizational changes processes in the Spanish wine sector. European Journal of Training and Development 39, 315–331.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Green, M and Maynard, R (2006) The employment benefits of organic farming. What will organic farming deliver? Aspects of Applied Biology 79, 51–55.Google Scholar
Hilimire, K (2016) Theory and practice of an interdisciplinary food systems curriculum. North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Journal 60, 227–233.Google Scholar
Hilimire, K and McLaughlin, BC (2015) Students’ suggestions for food systems curricula at a liberal arts college. Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems 39, 845–860.Google Scholar
Hilimire, K, Gillon, S, McLaughlin, BC, Dowd-Uribe, B and Monsen, KL (2014) Food for thought: developing curricula for sustainable food systems education programs. Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems 38, 722–743.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Humburg, M, van der Velden, R and Verhagen, A (2013) The employability of higher education graduates: the employers’ perspective. Final Report. Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg.Google Scholar
Jansen, K (2000) Labour: livelihoods and the quality of life in organic agriculture in Europe. Das Band; Monatsblatt Fur Kranke Und Gesunde 17, 247–278.Google Scholar
Kallas, Z, Serra, T and Gil, JM (2010) Farmers’ objectives as determinants of organic farming adoption: the case of Catalonian Vineyard production. Agricultural Economics 41, 247–278.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Karsten, HD and Risius, ML (2004) Development of an interdisciplinary agroecology major with input from surveys of students, graduates, and employers. North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Journal 48, 58–64.Google Scholar
Kivinen, O, Nurmi, J and Salminiitty, R (2000) Higher education and graduate employment in Finland. European Journal of Education 35, 165–177.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kunkel, HO, Skaggs, CL and Maw, IL (1996) Revolutionizing Higher Education in Agriculture: Framework for Change. Ames, IA: Iowa State University Press.Google Scholar
Marsden, PV and Gorman, EH (2001) Social networks, job changes, and recruitment. In Berg, I and Kalleberg, A (eds), Sourcebook of Labor Markets: Evolving Structures and Processes. New York: Kluwer/Plenum Publishers, pp. 467–502.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mulder, M and Kupper, H (2006) The future of agricultural education: the case of the Netherlands. Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension 12, 127–139.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nunez, GH, Kovaleski, AP and Darnell, RL (2014) Formal education can affect students’ perception of organic produce. HortTechnology 24, 64–70.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Offermann, F and Nieber, H (2000) Economic Performance of Organic Farms in Europe. Organic Farming in Europe: Economics and Policy, vol. 5. Stuttgart, Germany: Hohenheim University.Google Scholar
Padel, S (2001) Conversion to organic farming: a typical example of the diffusion of an innovation? Sociologica Ruralis 41, 42–61.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Penttinen, L, Skaniakos, T and Lairio, M (2013) Supporting students’ pedagogical working life horizon in higher education. Teaching in Higher Education 18, 883–894.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Porceddu, E and Rabbinge, R (1997) Role of research and education in the development of agriculture in Europe. Developments in Crop Science 25, 3–15.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Watson, T (1989) Recruitment and selection. In Sisson, K (ed.), Personnel Management in Britain. Oxford, UK: Blackwell, pp. 144–165.Google Scholar
Wheeler, SA (2008) What influences agricultural professionals’ views towards organic agriculture? Ecological Economics 65, 145–154.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Williams, DL and Wise, KL (1997) Perceptions of Iowa high school agricultural education teachers and students regarding sustainable agriculture. Journal of Agricultural Education 38, 15–20.CrossRefGoogle Scholar