Project news New online course helps farmers to create sustainable business models
Worldwide, farmers are increasingly confronted with global challenges. These challenges include climate change, pressure on food prices, political and societal sensitivities, and so on. More than ever, farmers have to play various roles: they have to be business men/women, HR managers, marketeers and entrepreneurs. The new MOOC: "Sustainable Business Models: Guidance for Future Farmers" teaches farmers how to deal with these challenges and inspires them to create good business plans.
The MOOC (Massive Open Online Course), a free online course that is available all over the world, is created by the KU Leuven Division of Bioeconomics in collaboration with ILVO, Rikolto, Fachhochschule Südwestfalen and Odisee. In this MOOC, experts from various universities and knowledge centres will introduce you to the strategic plans of an agricultural company.
The online course will not only provide insights into today's agricultural sector, but it will also offer different perspectives on the opportunities and obstacles in the current food value chain. In addition, the participants will learn how to identify the strengths and weaknesses of an agricultural business. They will also take a look at the local and global supportive environments and learn to develop an appropriate business strategy. Moreover, the participants will reflect on the added value that products and services offer to a target group or customer segment. Finally, at the end of the course, they will bring everything together in the ‘Business Model Canvas’.
The MOOC visits different farms from all around the world, thereby looking into successful business models and marketing frameworks in the agri-food sector.
While there is no one-fits-all answer to these challenges, the MOOC aspires to give insights into the development of future-proof business models. This free online course, titled “Sustainable Business Models: Guidance for Future Farmers”, will be available on the EdX platform from the 10th of January 2022 onwards.
Register and find out how to develop your strong farming business model.