PA AgroLead, in cooperation with Issyk-Kul and Naryn State Universities, conducted a baseline study of the needs and interests of students, teachers, trainers, and farmers in the field of climate change as it relates to agricultural and livestock production, forestry, water resource management, and economic development.

The Sustainable Agriculture, Forestry and Livestock in a Changing Climate (SA2CC) project is an EU-funded initiative aimed at enhancing the capacity of higher education institutions and agricultural organisations in Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia. The project aims to integrate climate change issues into educational courses on agriculture, forestry and livestock farming for students and young scientists, as well as into training programmes for farmers and agricultural specialists.

The project was launched at the end of 2023 and will be completed at the end of 2026. Twelve institutions from different countries are participating in it:

• 3 educational institutions from Kyrgyzstan: PA AgroLead, Issyk-Kul State University and Naryn State University;
• 3 educational institutions from Mongolia;
• 6 educational institutions from European countries such as Italy, Portugal, Romania and Greece.

Main objectives of the project:

• Building the capacity of young scientists, students and other professionals in climate change issues in their field of expertise.
• Review and update existing course curricula and/or develop new courses that integrate climate change issues.
• Creating a platform for exchanging ideas, searching for and developing effective strategies for adapting to climate change.
• Modernisation of the material and technical base of universities in Mongolia and Kyrgyzstan, necessary for practical work on climate change issues.
• Improving the adaptive capacity of farmers and other agribusiness stakeholders to address climate change issues in their field of activity.

In addition to climate change issues, digital tools are an important aspect of the project. Currently, the PA AgroLead, in collaboration with Issyk-Kul and Naryn State Universities, has conducted a baseline study of the needs and interests of students, teachers, trainers, and farmers in the areas of climate change in agriculture and livestock production, forestry, water resource management and economic development.

The results of the study in Kyrgyzstan were included in the overall report with the results of studies from all participating countries. This report is available on the SA2CC project website in English.