In collaboration with the Associazione per l’Agricoltura Biodinamica Sezione Toscana  (Tuscan Chapter of the Association for Biodynamic Agriculture), Agrifound, Gruppo Amico Bio, Rete Semi Rurali, Istituto Internazionale Life Beyond Tourism (International Institute Life Beyond Tourism) and the Museo Fondazione Romualdo Del Bianco (Museum of the Romualdo Del Bianco Foundation), APAB organizes the first edition of a Summer School in Agroecology.
This year the Summer School in Agroecology offers a curriculum of two weeks, with two tracks of specialization.
The first track will focus on the genetic selection of seeds of high nutritional quality. The second track will focus on enhancing the fertility of soils through biodynamic agriculture. Students will work with internationally reknowned experts in the best farms and experimental fields. The school’s aim is to encourage acquisition of quality skills and knowledge of procedures to create a class of experts and active agents who will improve agricultural practices, the management of companies and engaged research.

HERE THE FLYER AND THE PROGRAM OF SUMMER SCHOOL

First week

School of engaged genetic selection for the seeds of the future.Traditional seeds and new agriculture
Florence and Pisa – 10-17 July 2017
With Salvatore Ceccarelli (Honorary Fellow Bioversity International Freelance Consultant), Riccardo Bocci (Rete Semi Rurali/ Diversifood Project) and Stefano Benedettelli (University of Florence), Stefania Grando (ICRISAT – International Research Crop Institute for Semiarid Tropics).
Through the selection and improvement of agricultural genetics, students will learn to work to achieve the genetic enhancement of traditional seeds, to adapt them to modern agroecology.
The objective is to know how to obtain various high value seeds in terms of: quality and food safety, efficiency and adaptment to agricultural work, and in climate and environmental change.

Second week

Management of the agricultural company and biodynamic agriculture. Recovery and improvement of soils in viticulture, horticolture, and cereal crops.
Florence, Caserta and Naples – 17 July – 24 July 2017
With Carlo Triarico (President of the Association for Biodynamic Agriculture), Cesare Pacini (University of Florence), Michele Lorenzetti (Enologist), Adriano Zago (Agronomist), Fabio Primavera (Agronomist), Enrico Amico (Gruppo Amico Bio), Laura Isolani (Agronomist), Valentina Vignini (Agronomist), Bridgette Olsen (Expert), Raffaella Pergamo (CREA).

For enrollment and payments contact: virginia.ricci@apab.it

General Informations

The course is intensive and lasts two weeks. It will be held at companies, educational institutes and research institutes. For each week the trips that take place during the course, 14 meals, and 7 overnight stays with breakfast included are covered by the tuition
fee.
At the end of the course each student will receive a certificate in: “Specialization in agroecology: engaged genetic selection and biodynamic management of soils.”
The two week course is an integrated educational package. It is possible to attend only one week of the course, for particular educational requirements. In this case the student will receive a certificate to reflect their effective participation. The course begins in Florence, where arriving students will be welcomed Sunday afternoon and Monday morning.
The Summer School is open to anyone interested in the topics discussed in the courses (farmers, farm owner. students of agriculture or anybody interested)

Costs:
Total cost of enrollment for two weeks: 4,200 euro (400 enrollment, 3,800 tuition)
Cost for one week: 2,300 euro (400 enrollment, 1,900 tuition)
Last day to enroll: 5 July 2017
For enrollment and payments contact: virginia.ricci@apab.it