One of the greatest challenges of the 21st century is the rapidly growing urban populations and the consequent increasing demand of food. Providing the inhabitants of European cities with affordable, safe, and nutritious food is both urgent and complex. Moreover, the health and wellbeing of EU citizens and consumers are directly affected by the way cities and agriculture landscapes are shaping a sustainable food environment. “From Seed to Spoon” is an educational project on the food supply chain developed for high school students whose aim is the implementation of ecosystem services and sustainable agriculture in cities and peri-urban natural areas in different European Countries. Our project will encourage teenagers to be aware of how complex the food system is, improving mindful eating and healthy eating habits according to the EAT-Lancet Commission which gives guidelines for healthy and sustainable diets. In addition, the project will give also the opportunity to students to get in touch with nature, to learn how to respect it and how to adapt to the biological cycles. The project will also increase the awareness that nature is not just decoration. Rather, it also provides “living” infrastructures required for an adequate physical, psychological and social development. During the project, the use of innovative learning strategies (e-learning, cooperative learning, peer education, work-based learning) will support natural learning passion, promote community awareness, critical thinking, and problem solving in citizens facing a crucial transitional stage (adolescents). In addition, the project will promote the development of key competences in the use of ICTs (e.g., use of an interactive e-learning platform, development of audio-visual materials), as well competences in science and in the application of the scientific method while working closely to researchers and spending time in academic environments (helping teenagers to fight back in the war against fake news and to cope with the “post-truth society” era). Cooperative learning and peer education activities will reinforce basic language skills, while during interactions with students and citizens from other Countries, experts and researchers of UCSC, they will also develop skills in English language. The implementation of the project across different European Countries will also help students expand their knowledge, share data and ideas, build understanding and communication skills across different cultures, strengthening European identity. Participants will be able to manage any existing stereotypes and/or fears regarding not only international and intercultural contacts, but also regarding people with fewer opportunities. Indeed, students with special educational need and students of Extra UE origin will take part to working and visiting groups. The number of participants to e-learning courses will be according to school facilities present in each school (internet connection, PC). Participants to lab activities and on-the-job activities will by a delegation of students, about half females and half males including students with special educational need or of Extra UE origin. Accompanying teachers selected from the teaching staff of the school will be included during visiting periods and special education teachers also involved if participant students need extra support. We believe that our project will help students not only in their everyday professional/entrepreneurial activities but, most of all, in their life: teenagers are tomorrow's adult citizen, policy and decisionmakers, and we must help them in building a happy and healthy society. Participating organizations will instead gain new international contacts and partnership opportunities for future activities and increase important skills of their staff. The project will also have a significant impact on the protection of the environment and on land development. Indeed, the enhancement of ecosystem services may produce benefits on (and residents benefit from) microclimate, local air quality, noise reduction, binding of carbon dioxide, increased value of real estate, tourism, education, recreation. It is expected that our project will contribute positively to the implementation of policies related to the principles of sustainable development. In particular, at the regional, national, European and even International level, the desired impact of the project is the spread of its key message - the tight link existing between "seed" and "spoon" - to a community as wide as possible. The issues addressed by our project will also contribute to the promotion EU values connected with the socio-educational and personal development of youth. In the same way, we would also expect that the project will lead to an increased debate at an international level about the covered issues and to the launch of wide-ranging initiatives.
By implementing the project From Seed to Spoon, we wanted to achieve the following objectives: - the development in participating students of basic skills and, more specifically, communication, reading and writing skills in mother tongue language. - the development in participating students of basic skills and, more specifically, communication, understanding, reading and writing skills in English language. - acquisition of knowledge on the value of ecosystem services, sustainable agriculture, and food supply chain. - encourage young citizens to be aware of how complex the food system is, improving mindful eating and healthy eating habits. - give also the opportunity to students to get in touch with nature, to learn how to respect it and how to adapt to the biological cycles. - use of innovative learning strategies. - promote the development of key competences in the use of ICTs. - the development of shared values, as well as social, civic and intercultural competences. - help students to improve critical thinking, which may help them to cope with the “post-truth society” era (i.e.fake news).
The project FROM SEED TO SPOON (S2S) arises from the need to make youngsters more aware on how complex the food system is and to help them to respect and take care of the nature. Indeed, nature is not a trivial warehouse of products in the countryside or a plain city decoration, but it is a living “infrastructure” necessary for the health and well-being of each one of us. Taking care of it means gaining back in clean air and water, fertile soils, as well as nutritious, healthy food. Also, since young people are often at high risk of developing disordered eating patterns, another need addressed by S2S is improving mindful and healthy eating habits, encouraging them towards a more healthy diet. The needs addressed can thus be summarized as follows: -promoting knowledge about the value of ecosystem services, sustainable agriculture, and food supply chain; -encouraging young citizens to be aware of how complex the food system is; -helping students to respect and take care of nature -improving mindful eating and healthy eating habits; -supporting natural learning passion, critical thinking, and problem solving through innovative strategies (e.g., e-learning, cooperative learning, peer education, work-based learning).