Italia-Croatia

04/09/2026

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The WineGuard project has taken a step towards bringing the local agricultural sector into the classroom with the launch of the Joint Educational Programme “Digital Monitoring for Pesticide Reduction in Viticulture”, which will run during the 2026/27 school year.
It aims to prepare “farmers-to-be” as responsible managers of the territory, capable of integrating digital innovation, environmental protection and economic sustainability into their future professional activities.
Students are at the centre of the educational process, with local stakeholders entering high school to complement teachers’ expertise and contribute directly to students’ learning. This approach connects classroom education with the real challenges and opportunities of their future profession, highlighting the links between farming, environmental protection, soil and water management, regulation, innovation, markets and territorial development. 

Joint development
By analysing existing educational approaches, identifying shared training needs, and combining their complementary expertise, the Italian and Croatian partners have developed a new Educational Programme dedicated to digital viticulture, that combines technical learning, practical experience and direct engagement with the agricultural sector. Designed for students from the two partner agricultural vocational high schools in Italy and Croatia, the Programme is planned to be tested-refined and then integrated into the curricula of both participating schools and, replicated in other educational contexts.

Students engagement
Selected students were involved from the outset, taking part in introductory meetings at each school in order to familiarise them with the programme and encourage their active involvement in its development. In particular, IIS De Nicola's teachers delivered initial theoretical and practical sessions on sustainable viticulture, vineyard management, monitoring tools, environmentally friendly plant protection products, and the safe use of spraying equipment, while Srednja škola Hvar’s teachers introduced students to the project objectives and the service-learning approach, engaged them in discussions on sustainable agriculture and environmental protection, and assessed the digital tools and equipment available for future practical and field activities.

Gap analysis 
A gap analysis was conducted to identify priority areas for intervention within the participating schools’ curricula and educational approaches. Based on the findings, targeted actions were identified and planned to address these needs and enhance students’ competences. 

Stakeholders mapping
Each partner conducted also an active local mapping exercise within its territory to identify the stakeholders that could contribute expertise, tools and learning opportunities to the students.

Nine modules
The Educational Programme consists of a sequence of nine modules, most of them implemented by all students together. It includes also two reciprocal one-week study visits, among the partner high schools, which will end with an Open Day, dedicated to the local stakeholders. The activities will begin in September 2026 and continue until April 2027. 

1. The wineguard project and introduction to sustainable plant protection
2. The value chain of digital agriculture for sustainable plant protection 
3. Digital innovation applied to traditional vineyards cultivars; bench marking examples
4. Farming locally abiding to european regulations; the development of an integrated pest management plan 
5. Farming locally abiding to european regulations; the case study of the ppp records 
6. Pesticide reduction and wine market value 
7. Channelling similar messages to different local stakeholder groups 
8. Open day
9. Retrospective evaluation and suggestion for the educative programme improvements about: 

• students’ acquired competences and skills 
• awareness and empowerment of the farmers to be 
• collaboration between high schools and the territorial stakeholders