April 20 – 8:00 am – April 22 – 5:00 pm
Supporting Small Livestock Farms through Sustainable Solutions
- Course format: Onsite
- Type of program: Outreach programme
- Target group: Students
- Language: English
- Available places: 18
Short Description
A three-day international student outreach programme bringing together students, academic staff and experts from across Europe to explore sustainable practices and innovative solutions for small livestock farms.
Through field visits, practical training, collaborative workshops and on-farm testing, participants explored sustainable livestock practices, farm diversification, business models and strategies to address socio-economic challenges in rural areas. The programme combined experiential learning with international collaboration, enabling students to develop practical solutions and actionable roadmaps to support more resilient and sustainable rural communities.
Content
- Socio-economic challenges faced by small livestock farms
- Sustainable livestock farming and eco-friendly practices
- Rural development and community engagement
- Field visits to local livestock farms and interaction with farmers
- Development of business models, marketing ideas and value-added products
Progamme
Day 1 – Community Engagement and Problem Identification
Theme: Understanding the Social and Economic Challenges of Small Livestock Farms
09:00 – 09:30
Welcome, Orientation, and Team Formation
- Introduction to the outreach mission
- Presentation of project goals
- Formation of interdisciplinary student team
- Assignment of mentors and local farm contacts
09:30 – 11:00
Introductory Session: Challenges Facing Small Livestock Farms
11:00 – 11:30
Coffee Break
11:30 – 13:00
Field Visit 1: Local Small Livestock Farms
Students visit selected farms to observe:
- farm operations
- current income sources
- existing gaps
13:00 – 14:00
Lunch with Farmers
Informal discussions to understand farmers’ daily realities and expectations.
14:00 – 16:00
Community Problem Mapping Workshop
Students work with farmers to identify:
- major income bottlenecks
- underused local resources
- opportunities for value-added products
16:00 – 17:00
Reflection Session
Each student presents key observations and priority problems.
Day 2 – Student Lab and Solution Design
Theme: Building Practical, Inclusive, and Future-Oriented Solutions with the Community
09:00 – 10:30
Training Session: Sustainable Livestock and Eco-Practices
10:30 – 11:00
Coffee Break
11:00 – 12:00
Student Design Sprint: Farm Diversification Ideas
Student teams co-create practical solutions
12:00 – 13:00
Lunch with Farmers
13:00 – 15:30
Outreach Activity: Working with Local Youth
15:30 – 17:00
Prototype Development Workshop
Teams prepare pilot concepts including:
- business model sketches
- outreach campaigns
- expected social and economic outcomes
Day 3 – Pilot Testing, Community Presentation, and Action Roadmap
Theme: Turning Student Ideas into Local Action
09:00 – 10:30
Pilot Testing on Farms
Students return to farms to validate proposed solutions with farmers.
11:00 – 11:30
Coffee Break
11:00 – 12:00
Community Co-Creation Session
12:00 – 13:00
Virtual Thematic Discussion: “Socio-economic challenges in rural areas and livestock farming in the context of sustainable development.”- discussion on key priorities with different expects from UNIgreen Alliance HEIs
13:00 – 14:00
Lunch Break
14:00 – 16:00
Final Outreach Presentations
16:00 – 16:30
Closing Ceremony and Certificates
