To implement sustainable soil management practices, students in agricultural high schools need the participation of their parents.

To implement sustainable soil management practices, students in agricultural high schools need the participation of their parents.

The “Soil Exercises” project reached an important milestone, by informing more than 200 students from agricultural high schools about sustainable soil management practices. This activity included two meetings in each of the five agricultural high schools involved. The first meeting included a presentation of soil management legislation, the need to focus attention on this topic, and an insider’s presentation, from a student, of the educational experience offered by USAMV. The second meeting included practical applications of the information, with the project team presenting concrete cases where sustainable soil management has a beneficial effect on the farm.

During the last two meetings, at the Emil Negruțiu College in Turda, a new possible development of the project emerged – the approach of parents, in their capacity as farm owners on the themes proposed by the project, to ensure that relevant information on sustainable fertilization, the organization of agricultural work, irrigation, crop rotation and other practices are also supported by the current generation of farmers. These activities are part of the project’s objectives, and presentation days will be established with the students’ parents. The project will continue with information among farmers. 40 of them will also benefit from free soil analysis accompanied by clear instructions. In this way the aim is to introduce this practice as a natural activity, carried out annually by farmers with important implications on the dosage of treatments, fertilization, and other agricultural practices.

The project is carried out by the HEKS/EPER Romania Foundation in partnership with the FAER Foundation through the Active Citizen Fund Romania program, financed by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through EEA grants 2014-2021. For more information, visit www.eeagrants.ro. Information about Active Citizens Fund in Romania is available at www.activecitizensfund.ro.