Lean Systems for Agrifood Transformation – For Leaders and Trainers

Develop a concrete transformation roadmap and practical tools to lead lean systems implementation within your organisations or networks. By integrating leadership strategy and SROI principles, you will gain the structure and confidence required to drive measurable and defensible sustainability improvements.

Brought to you by Rural PM Academy

DURATION: 2 days: 16 hours (12 contact hours + 4 guided self-directed learning)

LOCATION: 100% Online

ACCREDITED BY: EIT Food

FEE: €1650 per learner

Overview: Lean Systems for Agrifood Transformation – For Leaders and Trainers

Who, What & When?

Who, What & When? : Who is this course for?

This course is for mid to senior level agrifood leaders, sustainability directors, cooperative managers, extension agents, consultants and trainers responsible for leading organisational or network level transformation within SMEs, producer organisations, food manufacturing companies and public food institutions.

AN EIT Label accredited INSPIRE level executive programme for agrifood leaders seeking advanced lean systems tools to strengthen operational resilience and lead transformation under complexity. In this intensive lab, you will evaluate operational vulnerabilities, prototype robust supply chain solutions and integrate decision frameworks to justify strategic investments. Designed for senior professionals in SMEs, cooperatives and food institutions, the programme builds authority in operational excellence and scalable resilience.

What will you achieve?

Participants leave with a concrete transformation roadmap and practical tools to lead lean systems implementation within their organisations or networks. The programme strengthens their ability to diagnose complex operational challenges, prototype resilient solutions and embed circular practices at scale. By integrating leadership strategy and SROI principles, participants gain the structure and confidence required to drive measurable and defensible sustainability improvements.

By the end of the course you will be able to...

Evaluate agrifood operations using advanced systems thinking approaches
Design lean and circular interventions that improve resilience and efficiency
Prototype and test operational redesign models under disruption scenarios
Integrate SROI principles to justify sustainable investments
Develop scalable training and implementation plans to embed lean systems thinking across teams and networks

You will have strengthened your ability to lead organisational transformation initiatives and deliver internal lean systems training programmes You will be able to facilitate operational redesign across cooperatives and supply chains and effectively contribute to regional sustainability and resilience strategies.

The course is delivered in English and you will be expected to successfully complete a final assessment to verify your achievements.

Alumni join the EIT Food Hive network and may participate in future advanced masterclasses.

When does the course take place?

Applications for the Spring Cohort open between 1st March and 30th April 2026, and the course will run on 28th April and 29th April 2026

Applications for the Autumn cohort will be available from 1st September to 15th October 2026 and the course will run on 19th and 20th November 2026.

Applications are submitted via Rural PM Academy website and restricted to 12-15 participants to ensure depth and interactions. Admission is selective and will be based on applicants demonstrating a minimum of 3-5 years professional experience, leadership or training responsibility and be supported by a short motivation statement

The course lasts for 2 days of intensive, interactive learnings covering about 16 hours of total study comprising 12 live hours and 4 guided self-directed learning

Structure and Delivery:

2 consecutive executive- level intensive days
12 hours live facilitated sessions
High engagement simulations and peer challenge rounds
Systems mapping and rapid prototyping exercises
4 hours guided self-directed reflection and SROI integration

Learning Resources

Participants are supported through:

Live facilitated Zoom sessions
Interactive systems mapping and prototyping tools
Lean systems templates and circular intervention frameworks
Simplified SROI calculation models
Applied agrifood case simulations

Module Descriptions

Day 1: Systems Diagnosis and Prototyping

Lean Systems Foundations Participants evaluate operational inefficiencies using systems thinking and lean frameworks.
Prototyping Resilient Operations Through simulation exercises, participants redesign supply chain or operational models under disruption scenarios, integrating circularity and resource efficiency.

Day 2: Leadership Activation and Scaling

Agile Leadership for Transformation Participants design leadership strategies to implement lean systems change within their organisations.
Upscaling Impact and Inspiring Change Participants integrate SROI principles and develop practical training or scaling plans to embed lean systems thinking across networks or teams.