Starting in September 2007, the Year of Food and Farming will aim to involve all schools in England. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales will act as patron for the initiative, which is being led by the food and farming industry, and supported by Defra, DfES and the Department of Health.
The Year of Food and Farming will link with a whole range of initiatives such as the 'Healthy Schools Standard', 'Learning Outside the Classroom Manifesto' and 'Strategy for Sustainable Food and Farming', to give a single focus to busy schools.
It aims to achieve:
- Improved understanding of the food chain and the role played by farming.
- Increased links between schools, farmers and food producers.
- Development of healthier lifestyles and good nutrition.
- An increased interest in careers in the food & farming industries.
- A greater appreciation of the importance of the countryside and environmental issues.
Projects will include:
- Development of curriculum materials and projects on food and farming.
- Visits to food and farming businesses.
- Exchanges of staff: short-term teacher secondments or job shadowing.
- Activities based around food retailers and restaurant businesses.
- Competitions.
- Growing activities: encouraging school kitchen gardens
- Community projects.
- Debates on key issues.
A dedicated website will be developed to signpost opportunities and events, offer supporting resources and links to other initiatives.
Speaking at a conference which looked at how to educate young people about food production, Mr Miliband said:
“As consumers we have a great deal of power when it comes to buying food. As well as influencing our health, the choices we make really do make a difference to our countryside, the environment, and to tackling the biggest challenge we all face: climate change.
“Consumers need to make informed choices, and where better to start than in educating the next generation.”
Case Studies
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire's Environmental Education Service (CEES) works with schools throughout Cambridgeshire and surrounding areas to support and encourage learning about food and farming. CEES offers schools a variety of courses including day courses on ‘Fenland Food and Farming’, and residential courses at Stibbington Centre where children help tend vegetable plots and find out about the sources of their food.
Essex
Ashlyns Organic Farm offers schools in Essex locally produced produce as part of the Feeding Our Future project. To do this they have created a farmers' co-operative producing quality assured local and organic food; set up a commercial and educational food preparation area and kitchen at Ashlyns Farm to source, cook and distribute food to schools and provided a business management team to run the operation and market the produce.
To date, 70 schools are buying supplies from the co-operative while a further 50 are signed up to take the source, cook and deliver package. The aim is to have over 100 schools signed up within the next two years. Some 450 cooks have attended training sessions in the farm's kitchens.
Norfolk
Situated in 15 acres of woodland and green space, Sidestrand Hall School, Cromer, Norfolk caters for a range of complex learning needs and is committed to making effective use of its unique environment. Sidestrand Hall won the Percy Garrod Soil and Sustainability Cup in the Norfolk Schools Environment Awards 2005/6, for their work to convert a piece of derelict waste land into a multi-purpose garden that could be used by staff and pupils. The school grows its own fruit and vegetables which the pupils cook and eat; some produce is also used in the main school.
Suffolk
The Suffolk Schools Farm Fair is an annual event held at the showground. It is a one-day educational event for Suffolk primary schools and is attended by more than 3,500 children and teachers. The aim of the day is to enable pupils to connect with how their food is produced and to give them an understanding of farming and its relationship with the management of the countryside. A unique feature of the day is that each school group is given their very own farmer steward to guide them through the various activities allowing the children direct contact with a member of the farming community.
