As part of World Vision Romania’s „Proud to be a Farmer” initiative, over 45 high school students and instructors from nine agricultural high schools in Romania attended the Agriculture 4.0 Symposium in Iasi on October 23–25, 2024.
In order to make agricultural education more appealing to young people, the World Vision Foundation and BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions have been collaborating on this project for three years.
Agriculture 4.0 Symposium
One of the most significant areas of national activity is agriculture. In addition, it is a very underappreciated subject that frequently suffers from the unfavorable social impression of the professions that comprise it. World Vision Romania seeks to increase the value of agriculture education by enhancing teachers’ abilities and enthusiasm to offer students cutting-edge technical courses utilizing contemporary tools. Agriculture 4.0.
The educational package „Journey to 2050” was presented to the participants, together with information on Sustainable Agriculture and Agriculture 4.0.
Symposium participants met with agricultural experts to learn about the importance of water in agriculture and modern irrigation systems, presented by Teofil Dascallu, CEO Frizon Group; the new technologies used in intensive orchards and apiaries, presented by Cristinel Bodescu, a zootechnical engineer; and Agriculture 4.0 technologies, presented by Andrei Ilin, Head of Agriculture, BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions Romania.
The Research Institute for Agriculture and Environment (ICAM), the Mechanization Laboratory, and the Research Center for Food Resources were all attended during a research visit that was arranged as part of the Agriculture 4.0 Symposium at the University of Life Sciences „Ion Ionescu de la Brad” in Iasi. The only phytotron in the nation and other cutting-edge research tools for the physical and chemical examination of soil, plants, water, and air were on display for the students.
Agricultural high schools participating in the Agriculture 4.0 Symposium
1. High School „Demostene Botez” Trușești, Botoșani County
2. Agricultural High School „Dr. C. Angelescu” Buzău, Buzău County
3. National College of Agriculture and Economics, Tecuci, Galați County
4. Technical College „Haralamb Vasiliu” Podu Iloaiei, Iași County
5. College „Vasile Lovinescu” Fălticeni, Suceava County
6. Technological High School Dorna Candrenilor, Suceava County
7. Agricultural High School „Dimitrie Cantemir” Huși, Vaslui County
8. College „Valeriu D. Cotea” Focșani, Vrancea County
9. Technological High School „Gheorghe Ionescu-Sisești” Valea Călugărească, Prahova County.
„The Agriculture 4.0 Symposium is an extraordinary opportunity for students and teachers from agricultural high schools: they discover new technologies and the people who apply them on their farms, better understand the branches and specializations in agriculture and last but not least, the Symposium is a place where friendships and future collaborations are made,” Crenguța Bărbosu, Senior Program Manager at World Vision Romania Foundation, mentioned.
„The third year of our collaboration on „Proud to Be a Farmer” project marks our strong involvement in guiding the new generation of experts. Agriculture finds itself under an uprising trajectory, through the latest top-notch equipment technologies. Consequently, we are interested in investing and developing the young generation. Our actions strive to bring added value for collective interests, generating the proper conditions for Romanian students, who will be one step closer to a successful career in agribusiness,” Adrian Oprica, CEO BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions Romania, concluded.