Target audience

During this programme, you will be equipped with knowledge of the diversity of solutions that are needed and attainable. Also, insights into your role and the contributions you can make to initiate transitions are addressed.

• Mid- to high-level professionals along the entire supply chain within the global food system
• Professionals who can make a change and set agendas towards a more sustainable food system (or are willing to make a change, but not sure what will be the right path in their specific situation)
• The circle around the farmers (suppliers, bankers, water board members, government officials, consultants etc.)

Learning with and from your peers is very important, so participants must be open to being part of a new diverse community, and open for unexpected collaborations (needed to find the right solution).

Learning outcomes

After successful completion of this programme, you will be able to:

• Make informed decisions and drive real change in the farming industry.
• Navigate the challenges and opportunities of sustainable farming.
• Assess your own role and the contributions you can make to initiate transitions.

Programme

Join the Lighthouse Farm Academy to gain valuable insights from successful pioneering farms around the world, illuminating diverse pathways for sustainable agriculture in 2050. They typically represent various agricultural sectors, such as industrial, smallholder, women-led, and organic. By participating in our programme, you will tap into the expertise of these farms. Lighthouse Farms around the world serve as beacons. They are already successful, profitable farms, because they have found radically new solutions to operate sustainably in and with the global food system.

The Lighthouse Farm Academy is a blended programme, combining an online component, individual coaching resulting in a personalised action plan, and an immersive on-site experience, called the Lighthouse Farm Lab. It adheres to the highest academic standards while grounding the knowledge in practical farm experiences.

Using the concepts of 'scaling up', 'scaling deep', and 'scaling wide', we'll provide examples and science-based insights to help you make informed decisions and drive real change in the industry. Gain the knowledge and experiences necessary to navigate the challenges and opportunities of sustainable farming.

Join us at the Lighthouse Farm Academy and become part of a community dedicated to shaping the future of farming for a more sustainable world! You can expect to gain structured knowledge and broaden your tools by learning about different concepts of future scenarios in agrifood. This will help you achieve your individual goals and drive your career.

Online component
During this series of courses you will learn the fundamentals of the Lighthouse Farm concepts, understand methodologies, tools and different approaches. It consists of four modules, accompanied by readings, self-tests, and discussion groups with your cohort:

• Stories of Lighthouse Farms
• Indicators of Success
• Beyond Sustainability / 'Five Shades of Green'
• Transitions

Individual Coaching
As part of the online component, you may choose to partner up with a individual coach. This highly recommended element in the programme is optional, incurring an additional fee of €1000. From the start, your coach will guide you to help to internalize learnings into your own role in the value chain. With your coach advising you along the way, you will write an Action Plan on how to apply the gained knowledge and skills in your personal professional context.

Lighthouse Farm Lab Field Trip
After finishing the online component (mandatory), you will partake in the highlight of the programme: the Lighthouse Farm Lab. This is a five-day immersive field trip to the Lighthouse Farm that is most relevant to your professional circumstance. Here, you will see best practice in action: an already successful, financially viable and sustainable farm, functioning in and with the food system.

Lighthouse Farm Lab locations 2024:

• 29 April - 3 May: Brazil – managing complexity in diverse landscape
• 5 - 9 August: Indonesia – scaling innovations across communities
• 9 - 13 September: The Netherlands – diversified agriculture
• 16 - 22 September: Austria – soil health & organic farming
• 4 - 8 November: Spain – regeneration / rejuvenation

Download the flyer for the full programme. Or sign up for our online information event in May 2024 by sending an email to: agnes.kiss@wur.nl. A dedicated team of Lighthouse Farm Academy will share plenty of insights on the content and answer your questions during the session.