Analysis of the Young Agricultural Entrepreneurs Learning Needs (Future Skills Needs)

The empirical research focus has been the identification of the most relevant learning needs of future entrepreneurs in agriculture taking into account the opinion of selected stakeholders (experts in the agricultural sector and in the vocational training sector) and the perceptions and representations of young farmers regarding: a) the central development areas for European agricultural enterprises; b) knowledge, understanding, competences and skills required to effectively set up and manage an agricultural enterprise within CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) scenarios. In order to do this we have set up a qualitative research framework identifying two selected groups of people -stakeholders and young farmersconsidered to be privileged witnesses to involve in the research, in order to collect significant data regarding the research focus. Due the aims of the research and the characteristics of the samples, we have chosen to use qualitative research methodologies, procedures and tools such as semi-structured one-to one interviews with open questions in order to collect the significant data. The answers to each item have been analyzed and compared in order to define a general framework of learning needs and objectives for EU young entrepreneur, together with a more specific profile of learning needs and objectives for each country, identifying the similarities and the differences in the profiles according to the different contextual and territorial configurations as well as to the expectations, motivations, sensitiveness characterizing the farmers in the different countries. These data are collected to be analyzed in depth (through a comparative analysis process) focusing on the difficulties that average EU farmers in each country encounter in the attempt to cope with the new CAP. The sample of stakeholders has been selected in order to collect multiple points of view on the agricultural sector on the basis of different positions and perspectives so to represent the complexity of the CAP scenario.