Grow Learn: Autumn School

Empowering Farmers to shape the future of agriculture

Dates: 13th-28th October 2026 (Online)

Fee: €100 (VAT not included) - Limited fee waivers are available. Apply now!

Applications: Open until 30 September

Language: English & Portuguese (interpretation is available)

Course soon available

Course soon available

About : Are you ready to turn today's agricultural challenge into new opportunities?

The Grow Learn 2026: Autumn School equips farmers and agri-food professionals with practical knowledge, tools and connections to prepare for the future of agriculture.

Across six interactive online sessions, you will explore emerging risks and food safety, biological solutions, carbon footprint assessment, precision agriculture, digital technologies and innovative production models.

Through expert insights, practical examples and collaborative activities, the programme turns knowledge into action, helping you make informed decisions and build more resilient, sustainable and future-ready farming systems.

Join a community of farmers, experts and innovators committed to shaping the future of agriculture!

Visit growproject.eu for more information and get to know more about all of our activities!

Delivered by Leading Experts

Learn from leading European experts and organisations shaping the future of agriculture:

Food4Sustainability CoLAB • BGI - Sustainable Ventures • Jerónimo Martins • DGAV • DGADR • Universidade de Coimbra

Advantages

By completing the Grow Learn: Autumn School, you will:

Anticipate emerging challenges: Understand new risks and requirements in agriculture.
Explore innovative solutions: Discover biological approaches, digital tools and new production models.
Turn knowledge into action: Apply practical insights to real agricultural challenges.
Connect with experts and peers: Learn, exchange experiences and expand your network.

You will leave better prepared to make informed decisions and contribute to a more sustainable and resilient agricultural sector.

Structure & Modules : Your Learning Journey in 6 Modules

The Grow Learn: Autumn School is delivered online with a mix of self-paced resources and live interactive sessions:

Week 1: Emerging Risks and New Demands in Agriculture

Module 1: Emerging Risks and Food Safety - Understand the main risks affecting agriculture and food production.
Module 2: Food Safety and Import Risk Management - Explore import-related challenges and practical approaches to managing food safety risks.

Week 2: Biological Solutions and Innovation

Module 3: Biostimulants, Biopesticides and Bioreactors - Discover biological solutions and innovative technologies for more resilient production.
Module 4: Fertilisers and Carbon Footprint Assessment - Understand the role of fertilisers in agricultural emissions and carbon footprint calculations.

Week 3: Agriculture of the Future and Digital Transformation

Module 5: Precision Agriculture and Digitalisation - Explore how drones, satellites and digital tools can support monitoring and farm management.
Module 6: New Production Models - Discover innovative production systems responding to climate and food security challenges.

This course is designed for farmers, advisors and agri-food professionals ready to shape a more sustainable and resilient future.

Feedback from our participants

92% rated their overall school experience as

Good or Very Good

91% rated the quality of sessions as

Good or Very Good

TOP Participants highlighted the expertise of speakers, clarity of presentations, and

relevance of topics

Testimonial GROW Alumnus Ian Marshall : From Soil to Society: One Farmer’s Solution Inspiring Many

What happens when you bring together farmers, academia, business, and industry? You get GROW — a unique learning programme by farmers, for farmers — designed to spark real-world solutions that create lasting impact.

Meet Ian Marshall: a dairy farmer, politician, former senator and union leader, whose journey is anything but ordinary. Through GROW, Ian shared a simple yet powerful innovation — a low-cost water management system implemented on his farm. The result? A practical, scalable solution that's already inspiring fellow farmers and government officials to rethink sustainability on the ground.

Ian is proof that when diverse experiences meet collaborative learning, transformation happens — not just on the farm, but across the entire food system.

Let Ian’s story remind us: every farmer has the power to lead change in building a sustainable planet.

Ian's testimonial gives hope for the future, that younger generations will see agriculture not just as tradition, but as a vibrant, sustainable career!

“The Autumn School stood out for the quality and expertise of the speakers, as well as the excellent organization of the sessions.”

Agronomist
“I appreciated the wide range of relevant topics and the diverse perspectives presented by international experts.”

Agricultural Consultant
“The sessions and case studies were practical, engaging and directly applicable to real agricultural challenges.”

Technical Field Specialist
“I really valued the sharing of information, international expertise and the dynamic structure of the program.”

Quality Manager

You will learn the following competencies: :

Food systems

Analyse the food system using a range of systems approaches to appraise current and future sustainability challenges.
Implement innovative responses to address sustainability challenges in the food system.

Critical thinking

Collect, analyse, interpret and report information to develop sustainable solutions to current and future challenges.
Appraise unintended consequences of any course of action to devise ethical goals.

Learn more about our competency framework

Career Opportunities : GROW your career in agriculture

· Farmers and land managers – gain evidence-based insights to support better decisions, manage emerging risks and prepare your farm for future challenges.

· Agricultural advisors and consultants – expand your toolkit with practical knowledge on biological solutions, carbon footprint assessment, precision agriculture and digitalisation.

· Agri-food professionals – understand how food safety, innovation and new production models are transforming agriculture and the wider food system.