• Provide intensive hands-on guidance to 40 farms.
• Offer bespoke guidance, tailored to the profile of each company including process-oriented assistance, creative advice and knowledge input.
• Achieve an average of two business improvement actions per farm.
• Assess whether a ‘Board of Confidants’ could be a valuable and feasible measure for short supply chain companies.
• Integrate the learning of the project into the curriculum of professional bachelor education for young, future farmers.

• An invitation was sent to the network of West Flanders short supply chain companies, resulting in 40 farmers being selected for project participation.
• Each participant was visited by two consultants who mapped their customer journey focusing on strengths, distinctive capacities, opportunities and challenges.
• To cover the customer perspective, each participant also received feedback from a mystery shopper.
• Following the analysis of the findings, the participants choose a maximum of three improvement actions/action points relevant to their distinct business situation.

Step 2 - provision of guidance for business improvement actions. Depending on the selected actions, each participant could choose how they wanted to be supported. Additional external expertise was offered as an incentive and as a reward for commitment. The following three delivery methods were available:

• Receiving individual coaching by project staff - farm time management, process guidance, and motivation were the main issues, a coach facilitated action item approaches and scheduled quarterly follow-up meetings. Written reports made the agreements concrete. The coach took a sounding board role, and offered ideas for solutions and follow-up actions. The implementation and costs connected with the actual improvement actions were borne by the company.
• Joining a learning network - in this method, learning from the exchange with experts and/or peers with practical experience was key and fostered the exchange of knowledge and co-creation between the participants. Companies with similar action points came together in one of four learning networks, focusing on topics such as customer loyalty, store design, storytelling, and communication.
• Accessing a ‘Board of Confidants’ - the agricultural industry has unique characteristics (family labour, seasonality of production, etc.). Farm managers are often on their own, which can create a lot of pressure. Bespoke to each participant, the Board of Confidants would consist of an engaged group of acquaintances, friends or family members providing mentoring inputs from outside the agricultural sector. Board meetings followed action points and were co-led by project staff. Over time, the role of the consultant changed from that of a leader/moderator to that of an observer so that the participants could continue independently after the completion of the project. An undergraduate student accompanied this approach by studying the conditions for a successful and sustainable implementation of such a business mentor Board. The experience was pooled into a roadmap.

• Eighty business improvement actions were implemented across 40 farms. Twenty-five (62.5%) of the participating farmers were women.
• One digital toolbox was created. It contains 24 thematic info sheets and eight webinars that are publicly available.
• At least 140 students were reached within the project period.
• The participating farmers gained insights and improved skills in aspects such as cost calculation, business models, customer experience, and marketing (USP profiling, social media planning, attractive packaging, etc.).
• The project led to a professionalisation of short supply chain farm shops (modifications to the shop’s layout, furnishing, assortment, lighting, etc.).
• This approach is transferable to other areas and sectors where the main goal is the improvement of business skills and knowledge. The methodology is clearly structured into three approaches all seeking to empower the participants to become central actors taking responsibility to achieve long-term change.
• The project provided agricultural students and young farmers with knowledge and hands-on experience in short supply chain companies. For example, the digital toolbox does not only empower current farmers, but also offers the next generation of young farmers a head-start in the future.
• The project focused on entrepreneurial skills such as marketing, cost-price calculation, work-life balance and social skills. Through the training and advice, the participating entrepreneurs became more aware of their strengths and potential and gained the confidence to further professionalise their businesses.

• The participants became more aware of the fact that they already had the necessary knowledge and skills to improve their businesses. The empowerment actions increased the self-esteem and confidence of the participants by motivating and encouraging them to put their plans into action.
• Farmers benefit from guidance and/or a sounding board to relate to. Due to the distinct characteristics of the agricultural sector, small supply chain providers often feel isolated and benefit substantially from participating in measures such as learning networks, or Boards of Confidants, to address issues jointly.
• Effective coaching incorporates a step-by-step approach. The following sequence of project delivery is recommended: map the initial situation, set up a specific action plan with priorities and timings that have been set by the participants themselves; and follow-up with meetings on a regular basis.