Abstract:

The significance of rurality in the European Union's (EU) economic prosperity is widely recognized; nevertheless, rural regions encounter obstacles in an era of escalating urbanization. Despite their varying socio-economic profiles, environmental features, and cultural richness, numerous rural areas display inherent vulnerabilities in social, economic, and environmental realms, resulting in shared challenges and missed opportunities.

In addition, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), food production will need to surge by nearly 50% over the next three decades to meet the growing demands of the global population (FAO, 2017a; FAO, 2017b). Therefore, agricultural entrepreneurs must adapt their business approaches and strategies to tackle longstanding structural issues as well as emerging challenges such as food security and the increasing frequency of extreme weather events that could disrupt production capabilities significantly. Education and continuous learning emerge as critical avenues for addressing these issues. However, entrepreneurs may hesitate to engage in educational programs that seem disconnected from real-world business challenges due to personal preferences, cost concerns, or most likely, time constraints. In such a scenario, simulation and System Dynamics present themselves as valuable tools.

System Dynamics, a computer-based methodology, facilitates the representation of complex systems through mathematical equations, depicting their behavior over time. Simulation models offer a notable advantage by providing an intuitive graphical user interface, thereby demystifying mathematical complexities in the educational process. This allows agricultural entrepreneurs to experiment with various business policies in a risk-free environment, transforming the model into an Interactive Learning Environment (ILE).

This paper aims to present the development of such an ILE within the context of the OREN project (E+ 2021-1-IT02-KA220-ADU-000033510), an Erasmus+ initiative. The OREN project endeavors to bridge this educational gap by creating an interactive learning platform offering sustainable rural business models, simulation tools, and managerial courses tailored to agricultural entrepreneurs. The platform's objective is to equip participants with advanced managerial and business skills essential for navigating the challenges of modern agriculture.

Within the project's framework, a simulation model was developed to depict the agricultural production system. While versatile and adaptable, its primary focus lies on commodities such as wheat, barley, and similar products. The model comprises several key components: Land, Production, Population and Personnel, Water, Soil Quality, Education and Innovation, Finances.

Operated through the ILE, the model empowers entrepreneurs to navigate various actions, ensuring short-term gains without compromising long-term sustainability. Numerous scenarios were simulated to serve as potential business strategies, including prolonged periods of increased rainfall and heightened utilization of technological innovations in production processes.

In summary, the development of this simulation model within the project's framework offers agricultural entrepreneurs a strategic tool to both navigate complex variables and optimize their operations for both short-term gains and long-term sustainability and engage in learning.

Keywords:

Lifelong Learning, Rural Entrepreneurship, Interactive Learning Environment, Simulation.