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Climate and Environment Integrated in Agro-Learning (CAMBIAR)
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Challenge
Ecuador, while rich in biodiversity across diverse climates and ecosystems, is highly vulnerable to climate change. This vulnerability significantly impacts its crucial agricultural sector, which provides food, raw materials and job opportunities. At the same time, agriculture is also the country’s third-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, worsening climate risks. Ecuador’s high vulnerability and low readiness for climate adaptation highlight the need for investment and innovation, including in social readiness and education. The National Adaptation Plan (2023-2027) seeks to boost agriculture's sustainability and resilience, but this requires a workforce with “green skills”. However, many teachers lack the training and knowledge to teach sustainable development effectively and impart these skills.
Goals
The purpose of the project is to strengthen the competence of teachers to equip learners with a breadth of green skills for climate-smart and sustainable agriculture and support the Ministry of Education in operationalising its Plan Natura effectively and at scale. As such, the project will contribute to Ecuador’s transition to a more sustainable agri-food system and to youth employment in this sector.
Approach
- Improve existing professional development opportunities for educators, specifically by integrating climate change and environmental sustainability into two existing online courses (MOOCs) for technical teachers of agriculture.
- Expand professional development opportunities by developing and piloting two additional online courses for teachers of agriculture (specifically: an introductory MOOC on climate smart and environmentally sustainable agriculture and a MOOC on project-based learning for this sector).
- Provide policy support to the Ministry of Education, with a focus on operationalising the Ministry’s Plan Natura (specifically: to include teacher professional development and the project-based learning challenge in the operational plans) and on developing a scaling strategy for the improved and expanded professional development for teachers of agriculture.
- Strengthen the support for skilling for climate-smart and environmentally sustainable agriculture by identifying and working with passionate teachers and experts in agriculture. This can be done by consulting with experts, sharing project results widely and using youth testimonial videos to spread the message.
By the end of the programme
- A minimum of 20 government officials – across Ministries – will be involved in developing a scaling strategy for the improved and expanded professional development for teachers of agriculture and in engaging the world of work for a strong coalition for climate-smart and environmentally sustainable agriculture.
- Across Ecuador, 200 upper secondary technical teachers of agriculture will have improved knowledge, attitudes and (pedagogical) skills on climate smart and environmentally sustainable agriculture thanks to an improved and expanded professional development trajectory.
- In the Andes provinces, 600 students will participate in project-based learning, focused on real-world climate change-related and environmental challenges faced by the agricultural sector.