PEER LEARNING AND KNOWLEDGE CO-CREATION IN ORGANIC AQUACULTURE: THE CASE OF FUTUREEUAQUA PROJECT

Organic aquaculture represents 4.6% of total aquaculture production.However, the economic results of organic aquaculture in the EU appear to be far from satisfying.Notwithstanding the above, Europe is still heavily dependent on external markets to cover seafood demand.Nowadays, fisheries and aquaculture sectors require paramount need to (i) enhance knowledge sharing, (ii) set up appropriate infrastructures and facilities (iii) increase capacity building.To overcome these needs an "active and participative" training method that allows participants to fully learn news concepts, while improving skills and capabilities, could be adopted.One of the most profitable methods is known as "Peer learning", a form of collaborative instruction that enhances peer-to-peer interaction and leads to positive learning results.Based on this approach, CIHEAM Bari has created and led an online training course on "Sustainable, resilient and climate friendly Blue Growth of EU Aquaculture and beyond."The course involved 357 participants coming from 77 countries.About 50 participants achieved the required score to receive the certificate as a result of the dropout phenomenon.With the ultimate goal of converting results and outputs into practical knowledge when putting the creative solution found and developed within the project into practice, the course's outcomes aimed to raise awareness of the industry by establishing a community of practice where everyone shares their technical and social knowledge.It may be concluded that adopting appropriate technology for eLearning and innovative educational approach may fill the gap of knowledge transfer under disruptive circumstance (i.e.COVID-19 pandemic; etc.).