Food System - Farm to Fork Trip

Dear students,

the following activity is based on this webquest so as for you to explore the intricate process of food from its production to its consumption.

Your assignment includes examining different facets of the food system, including farming practices, technological innovations and consumer perspectives. By conducting interviews and collecting data, you'll gain insights into the operation of food systems, the challenges they encounter and the innovations shaping their future. You will come across STEM careers in the Food Industry. All this investigation will contribute to a deeper understanding of how to improve the sustainability, efficiency, and equity of food systems.

Some bachground information

Food systems encompass the entire range of activities involved in the production, processing, distribution, consumption and disposal of food. These systems include everything from agricultural practices and food manufacturing to retail and consumption, as well as waste management. A food system's sustainability and efficiency are crucial for ensuring food security, reducing environmental impact and promoting public health.The Farm to Fork Strategy is a central part of the European Green Deal, aiming to make food systems fair, healthy and environmentally friendly. It addresses the entire food supply chain from production and processing to distribution and consumption. The strategy emphasizes reducing the environmental and climate impact of food production, promoting sustainable practices and ensuring food security and nutrition.

[photo source: https://food.ec.europa.eu/sites/default/files/styles/embed_medium/public/2020-05/food_farm2fork_ring.jpg?itok=_w2WoBoO ] The European Green Deal is the European Union's plan to make the EU's economy sustainable by turning climate and environmental challenges into opportunities. The deal aims for no net emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050, economic growth decoupled from resource use and no person or place left behind.

Useful links:

The farm-to-fork journey within the food system

You will be organized into three national groups to explore the farm-to-fork journey within the food system through interviews with a farmer, a food industry expert and consumers:

Group 1:Farm Field Investigators,

Group 2:Food Tech Explorers,

Group 3:Consumer Insight Analysts.

Visit the following link to choose the group and the role you prefer:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/17qV8svzQjlqwJJMKKZWliWTnoi5iBd9Z2mU2fVD6ePo/edit?usp=sharing

Preperations for the visits

The ‘Question Developers’ use the following shared Google Doc

to collaboratively create and refine the interview questions, ensuring they cover different aspects of their assigned topic:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Vc2DAo8kFLWra4DxrFRh7QG4-76Lqzt3RRJ22b7ufQM/edit?usp=sharing

Visits & Interviews

Teams carry out the visits. Interviewers conduct the interviews, and data analysts summarize the data clearly and concisely. Presenters from all teams organize a common presentation usig tools like Google Slides, Canvas etsc, for each country and upload to this Padlet:

https://padlet.com/meddiet4health/food-system-farm-to-fork-trip-51z7m0c0uiihdku6

Comparing results across all countries

Mix up again, now in three transnational teams:

Team 1 will compare the results from the Farm Field Investigators from all countries and conduct a report.

Team 2 will compare the results from the Food Tech Explorers from all countries, and

Team 3 will compare the results from the Consumer Insight Analysts and conduct a report.

Use the following Google Doc to pick up team and keep notes:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UkdNRZrUdlUSrvmaMnB732m67xEoB0vbYlyDyH-EUMo/edit?usp=sharing

Add your reports in the same Padlet:

https://padlet.com/meddiet4health/food-system-farm-to-fork-trip-51z7m0c0uiihdku6