Supporting greener farming in Malta through digital skills and practical training

Towards the end of February 2026, the PoliRuralPlus Malta Pilot 9 Team at AcrossLimits participated in the GreenFit Project’s focus group at the Valletta Design Cluster in Malta, organised by Malta Youth in Agriculture (also a former implementer of a PoliRuralPlus cascade project - AgriTech Ideathon) and Merill Rural Network.

The event created an important space for dialogue around the realities facing Maltese farmers today, especially as they work to adapt to growing environmental, economic, and technological pressures. One of the clearest messages to emerge from the discussion was the need to make digitalisation more accessible and affordable for the farming community. Farmers highlighted that while digital tools can play a major role in supporting greener, more resilient, and more efficient agricultural practices, the cost and accessibility in adopting these technologies remain a major barrier. From precision farming solutions to data-driven planning tools, many innovations have the potential to improve sustainability and productivity, but they are often out of reach for small-scale producers unless the right support mechanisms are in place.

This is where PoliRuralPlus pilots can complement all these efforts.

Through the project’s Malta Pilot 9, AcrossLimits will organise a series of training sessions and events in Malta and Gozo between April and July, also in collaboration with the ongoing MALTESE Poliruralplus Cascade project financed through the Develop Call. These activities are designed to support farmers and other rural stakeholders in exploring practical pathways towards more digitisation within agriculture. The sessions will focus on three key areas:

  • identifying funding opportunities that can help farmers invest in innovation,
  • introducing digital tools that are relevant and usable in the local context,
  • and promoting sustainable practices that strengthen resilience while responding to environmental challenges.

By combining knowledge-sharing, capacity-building, and stakeholder engagement, the Malta Pilot aims to ensure that innovation is not only discussed but translated into practical value for rural communities. The goal is to help farmers better understand the options available to them and build confidence in using tools and approaches that can support their long-term sustainability.

The Greenfit focus group also reinforced a wider message that is central to PoliRuralPlus: successful rural innovation depends not only on technology itself, but on the ecosystems that enable people to access, understand, and apply it. Training, collaboration, and targeted support are therefore essential if digitalisation is to deliver real benefits on the ground.

We are pleased to see these conversations taking shape in Malta and look forward to continuing the work with local actors over the coming months.

Stay tuned for more updates from the Malta Pilot and the wider PoliRuralPlus community.