"The background of the project was a reflection over the importance of efficient transfer of knowledge implemented by scientific institutions of agricultural sector. A question about know-how of effective and successful transmission of ideas from the world of science to practice was a key issue for the project preparation and realisation. The project addresses the national and international needs of staff qualifications enhancement. The main project goal is elevation of qualifications by improvement of knowledge, skills and competences of people in charge of organisation and execution of educational services within the agricultural sector. The target group of the project is not large in numbers, but activity of these people has a vast impact on the whole agricultural sector. Raising qualifications of employees engaged into realization of trainings, conferences or seminars effects in higher level of ""products"", which they provide. As the final result, the recipients of the educational services receive offer, which is better fitted to their needs and more suitable to their expectations. The successful transfer of educational know-how exemplified by good practices brings amelioration in trainings level, innovations in the substantive matters as well as the forms of the educational processes bring enhancement of qualifications of trainees, which is further reflected in standards of activities and projects undertaken by participants of educational services . The extended impact on economy, legislation, ecology and welfare enforces a constant care of increment within capabilities of institutions and people engaged in educational activities. The project realisation impacted the most staff of each partner, including personnel responsible for organisation and execution of educational services, scientists, the institutions' management bodies (target groups of the project). The higher the qualifications of staff involved in the provision of educational services, the better trainings and higher levels of trainees and their impact on the wider environment. The second objective of the project was to establish the network for mutual contact of scientists and employees of engaged institutions. The network provides smooth flow of information, ideas and inspirations between partners of the project as well as potential new members joining the multilateral teamwork. Additional value of the project are personal contacts, which are always the root of further successful cooperation.All activities predicted for the project life time (14 months) were done and properly implemented. There were no delays in the project schedule (which is reckoned as a success itself considering a very tight calendar during the project)."

Not applicable.

"European agriculture experienced huge changes in last decades. Adaptations to institutional and marketing changes, influenced by EU common agricultural policy, but also by societal wishes like food safety, animal welfare and the environment, require the ability to apply entrepreneurial skills as a key factor for survival. However, strategic thinking is rarely present in the farming sector. Agricultural producers focus on operational decisions taken “by the day” and often do not see the need for a long term vision for their firm. Especially the situation in less favoured regions, often in remote areas with relative small farms, is complex. To build a future in these areas asks for entrepreneurial competencies.The main purpose of the ISM+ project was to spread the idea of strategic thinking in agriculture and introduce innovative tools to support farm advisors and farmers in entrepreneurship and the strategic management process. The target groups of the project were farmers and vocational agricultural students on one hand and agricultural teachers, extension workers and advisors on the other hand.The project is based on the unique method and tool - Interactive Strategic Management (ISM), which was developed in the Netherlands and introduced in (transferred to) other European Countries like Poland, Slovenia, Lithuania and Austria. The method was used in trainings to instruct farmers, advisors and students how to prepare a successful farm strategy. The detailed aims of this ISM+ project were to:•improve entrepreneurial competencies of farmers, advisors, teachers, and agricultural students;•assess the local agricultural framework conditions by a context analysis in order to adapt the ISM method and understand the outcomes of the training process;•extend the ISM method to farmers and students in a variety of agricultural sectors (dairy, beef, pig, crop production);•make the training applicable to a larger language area in Europe (English, German, Polish, Lithuanian and Slovenian languages);•make the ISM method more applicable to market oriented development paths by adding the marketing module;•add a business planning module for economic assessment of farmer choices;•introduce the concept of networking to stimulate social entrepreneurship.The project consortium consisted of organizations in the fields of research, education, economics, know-how transfer and agro-business. Participation of the agricultural universities (Wageningen, Ljubljana and Warsaw) and the Economic Institute in Vilnius, on the one hand, and professional farmer associations (like in Klagenfurt) and extension services in all countries, on the other hand, assured smooth cooperation, innovative knowledge transfer and interaction between science and practice, which contributed to the achievement of the project objectives. The project results form a wide education platform for rural entrepreneurship: •Report from the Context analysis - about the differences in strategic choices of both farmers and stakeholders in different regions of Europe (resulted in two scientific articles and 2 articles in progress to be submitted).•IFMA publication with description of ISM+ tool and other tools all around the world.•Website ""Entrepreneurship with Vision"", devoted to Interactive Strategic Management for farming – serving as a platform for the project results and materials available to the wide public http://ism.sggw.pl/ •ISM+ tool with complete training materials (ISM+ handbook ""Entrepreneurship with Vision"", and other materials ) – is dedicated for trainings of farmers, rural entrepreneurs and advisors to work with farm strategy development. •Business planning module – it is an excel tool which helps to analyse the current farm economic situation and simulate future economic consequences for different strategy choices of farmers; •Marketing module – material for training in the area of the marketing strategy of the farm;•Guidelines for Networking methodology – serves as a guideline for trainers and extension workers in supporting networks in the agricultural sector and in implementing the networking concept in ISM trainings;•ISM training module guidelines for agricultural students – serves as curriculum for ISM sessions adjusted to agricultural students;•Book “Tools for improving entrepreneurship and communication for small scale farms” – helps to get insight into the ISM method and modules, including some examples from farms in the participating countries.The project supports the VET system in each of the participating countries and other countries, like Sweden, with the new method of training and training materials, and is also applicable at the level of agricultural professional schools. Farmers and advisors found the ISM method very interesting and innovative. The project has been stimulating and inspiring for all persons involved. We hope that our results will be useful for a wide range of beneficiaries."