MODERNIZING AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION: 15 HIGH SCHOOLS BENEFIT FROM THE “PROUD TO BE A FARMER” GRANTS OFFERED BY WORLD VISION ROMANIA AND BNP PARIBAS LEASING SOLUTIONS WITHIN THE SECOND YEAR OF PARTNERSHIP

Bucharest, October 19, 2023: World Vision Romania and BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions continue the innovation in agricultural education, to make it more attractive for young people, within the second year of partnership.  

15 high schools were declared winners of the “Proud to be a Farmer” grants, which promote Agriculture 4.0, offered by the World Vision Romania foundation with the support of BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions. 

These grants of more than 30 000 euro supported 15 agricultural high schools for the purchase of quality equipment, but also for the organization of study visits for students to farms or agribusinesses that apply innovative and sustainable technologies. Moreover, more than 50 students and specialized teachers from the 15 high schools will participate in a specialized symposium on the agricultural area within the project, action that will take place in collaboration with Iasi University of Life Sciences (IUVERS). 

More precisely, all 15 agricultural high schools involved in the project purchased the necessary equipment to carry out experiments and practical demonstrations, thus increasing their learning capacity. From thermometer, rain gauge, anemometer, professional hygrometers and pH meters (for checking soil acidity) to devices for determining air quality and weather stations with outdoor sensors. 

At the same time, by the end of the year, over 200 high school students and over 30 teachers from high schools had the opportunity to visit more than 20 agricultural farms that use modern technologies, giving them an in-depth understanding of the benefits brought by Agriculture 4.0 (based on advanced technology and sustainability).  

In addition to the grant offered, World Vision Romania, with funding provided by BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions, will support more than 50 students and teachers to participate in the Agriculture 4.0 Symposium. The event will take place during the period October 26 – 27, 2023, in Iași. 

“We are pleased to see that our joint efforts with BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions have made a tangible difference in agricultural education in Romania. Through the ‘Proud to be a Farmer’ grants, we not only equipped high schools with necessary equipment, but also created a bridge between agricultural theory and innovative practice in the field. Young farmers and their teachers had the opportunity to explore first-hand the benefits of Agriculture 4.0, thus accelerating the adoption of modern and sustainable techniques in our communities. The whole process represents an investment in the agricultural future of our country and we are happy to be part of this positive change.” said Crenguța Bărbosu, Senior Program Manager at the World Vision Romania Foundation. 

“The first edition results of the “Proud to be Farmer” initiative led us to continue, for the second year, the support of high-school students, who are exploring agricultural knowledge. BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions encourages young pupils to embrace high-tech agriculture and a new education based on a friendly environment and a climate change system.” declared Anca Mitroi, Commercial Director of BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions Romania. 

By providing high schools with modern tools and experiences, these communities are nurturing a generation that understands and values sustainable farming. Therefore, “Proud to be a Farmer” project has significantly advanced sustainability education in agriculture for the younger generation. This project rolls-out across 10 districts of Romania – Cluj, Galați, Iași, Vrancea, Bacău, Vaslui, Brașov, Bistrița-Năsăud, Botoșani and Ilfov.  

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About the innovative educational package Sustainable Agriculture and Agriculture 4.0.  

World Vision Romania, within the Consortium ”Creștem prin Educație Agricolă” (We Grow through Agricultural Education), developed an innovative educational package on sustainable agriculture and Agriculture 4.0. Lesson plans, accompanied by films and presentations familiarize students with the most important concepts of sustainable agriculture. Students learn about how good agricultural management practices influence food production by reducing environmental impact and improving people’s quality of life.  

The educational package can be found on the website of the Program “Creștem prin Educație Agricolă” (We grow through Agricultural Education): https://educatieagricola.ro/programe-si-resurse/resurse/. 

About World Vision Romania 

World Vision Romania is an organization that carries out education programs, emergency humanitarian intervention, development and advocacy, putting the well-being of the child at the center of its activity. The organization focuses on working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. The foundation works with the most vulnerable people in the world, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender. World Vision Romania is part of the World Vision International partnership, present in almost 100 countries around the world. In 32 years of presence in Romania, we have helped more than 800,000 children and adults, in almost 800 communities in 40 counties. 

About BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions 

At BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions, we offer capital efficient business equipment financing solutions in key sectors including agriculture, construction, transportation, materials handling, ICT, healthcare and green tech. Drawing on our proud 70-year history, our partners and clients rely on our market expertise, asset know-how and advisory services to propel their growth, transformation and transition to a low carbon circular economy. We are present in 17 countries across Europe and Turkey, employing over 3,700 experts. We also offer vendor finance solutions in the USA and Canada in partnership with Bank of Montreal, and in China through Jiangsu Financial Leasing. In 2022, we advanced over €14 billion in asset finance and presently manage a €38 billion leased assets portfolio. BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions is fully owned by BNP Paribas and is positioned within the Group’s Commercial, Personal Banking & Services division. 

For more information, visit www.leasingsolutions.bnpparibas.ro/