Continuous, updated, and systematised vocational education and training is essential for the farming community to adapt to ever-changing conditions and challenges that encompass the agricultural sector today. These conditions and challenges call for new skill sets even for experienced and trained farmers, and necessitate efficient use of resources, sustainable production methods through good practices, action against climate change and integration of innovation and new technologies. A 2017 European Parliament briefing by Augère-Granier indicates that only 8,5% of the present generation of European farmers are qualified with a degree in agriculture whereas as much as 70% rely solely on practical experience which does not qualify as a verifiable vocational training (2017). Whether already practising members of the farming community or the aspiring younger generation, it is a fact that vocational education and training and lifelong continuous professional development are crucial for farmers to equip them with skills to cope with such demanding and rapidly changing conditions. Agriculture is a research-intensive area, and the flow of knowledge is top-down, hence positioning information and new knowledge at an abstract status. Also, new, research-based knowledge is not always readily available for the farming community which relies heavily on empirical practical experience. Here, lifelong learning emerges as a prospect to help farmers of various ages and educational backgrounds gain new knowledge, skills, and competences that are necessary to capitalise from if sustainable, innovative, and novel practices are to be adopted and put into practice.

Sustainable rural development depends on how swiftly these practices are accepted and implemented by the farming community. Therefore, as much as making the new knowledge and skills ready for the farmers, the adoption of these is critical. It is important to track, enquire and follow up on how and to what extent this new knowledge and information is internalised and utilised by the farmers as recipients of lifelong vocational and technical education. The purpose of this study is situated in such a context. It attempts to explore to what extent the pilot implementation of a vocational and technical curriculum that is designed and developed by an EU Technical Assistance Project, tasked with the Implementation of Farm Advisory Services (FAS) in northern part of Cyprus is effective in terms of fostering a “perspective transformation” towards adoption of better, novel, and innovative practices in agriculture (Mezirow, 1991, 2000). In Transformative Learning Theory, the perspective transformation is defined as the structural transformation of the individual's beliefs and assumptions through a critical reflection process as a result of experiences, which is facilitated intentionally in educational environments and/or informally in real life situations (Mezirow, 1991, 2000). In this context, the aim of this study is to analyse the effect of a modular VET training in agriculture on participant farmers’ perspective transformation towards adoption of better practices in agriculture and seeks to answer the following research questions:

i. Was the modular VET training in agriculture effective to induce perspective transformation of farmers towards adoption of better practices in agriculture?

ii. How do farmers describe their experience of perspective transformation through the implementation of a modular VET training in agriculture?

iii. In which phases as defined by Mezirow (1991, 2000) this perspective transformation has occured?

iv. Which element of the VET curriculum has facilitated this perspective transformation?

This study employs a qualitative methodology to explore the experiences and views of participant farmers for the modular VET programme. In order to determine whether the participant farmers experienced a perspective transformation towards adoption of better practices in agriculture as a result of the implemented VET curriculum, the Learning Activities Survey and Follow-up Interview Form were employed as data collection tools. The survey was also used to determine at which phase the farmers have experienced the perspective transformation as defined by Mezirow (1991, 2000) and to identify the activities that contributed to this transformation. The data analysis is conducted as per guidelines by King (2009) and the PT Index score obtained by the participants determine whether the farmers have experienced the perspective transformation or not. The qualitative analysis of the Follow-up Interview Forms provides a deeper understanding of the experience of farmers. The translation and adaptation of both instruments which are developed by King (1997) were completed by the researcher as per approval by King. The study group consists of a total of 16 practicing farmers who have attended and successfully completed at least 2 modules of the VET programme in agriculture. The farmers could opt for any of the 8 thematic modules based on their area of production and/or interest as long as they complete the obligatory, cross-cutting module on Farm Management. The farmers in the study group include farmers who have completed Farm Management (28 hours), Advanced Beekeeping (28 hours), Sheep and Goat Herd Management (36 hours) and Dairy Cattle Herd Management (32 hours) modules. The design and development of the VET curriculum is managed by the EU Technical Assistance Project for the Implementation of Farm Advisory Services in northern part of Cyprus and it has been designed to be compatible with the European Qualifications Framework. The weight of the learning outcomes, acquired through the programme is quantified into ECVET points as defined by the European System for Vocational Education and Training thus allowing the participant farmers to acquire a vocational recognition through accumulation of credits. The trainings are also delivered by experts engaged by the project. The researcher is not involved in the development and delivery of the trainings, providing a complete transparent and objective positionality.

The data analysis of the study is ongoing. The analysis of the introductory part of Learning Activities Survey that indicates whether the respondent has experienced a perspective transformation revealed that the majority of the participant farmers (n=12) has experienced a perspective transformation. The description of farmers’ experience of this shift in their perception, the phase of transformation and the components of the curriculum that facilitated this transformation will be revealed through further analysis of Learning Activities Survey and Follow-up Interview Forms.

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