Environmental Innovators, the brand new Agri Aware Transition Year Programme, aims to generate an awareness of the many challenges facing our global food system. The students who take part in the programme are tasked with proposing sustainable food solutions for the future. Agri Aware is launching Environmental Innovators nationwide, supported by BiOrbic Bioeconomy SFI Research Centre. Environmental Innovators will introduce students to the various challenges that our environment faces due to the food system and also the challenges the food system creates for the environment.
Globally human consumption of our natural resources has increased in line with the demand for food. This means that the ways that our food gets from farm to fork must evolve to meet global sustainability objectives. The students of today are the decision-makers of tomorrow. The Environmental Innovators programme encourages innovative thinking, problem-solving and global citizenship through sustainable food systems education. The programme consists of the four main chapters of Waste, Climate, Biodiversity and Land Use with interactive video, mapping and debate tasks offered throughout. The end-of-programme project ask is for students to propose their own ideas for the world’s future food system.
Five group finalists will be invited to BiOrbic Bioeconomy SFI Research Centre at University College Dublin to tour the facilities and to present their idea to agri-food stakeholders. This is a wonderful opportunity for students to meet like-minded peers and demonstrate their learning. The Environmental Innovators finalists will present their propositions in January. The National Champions will receive a grand prize of €250 each.
Alan Jagoe, Agri Aware Chairman, said: “Ireland is a world leader is sustainably farmed food. Through this programme, Transition year students will have the opportunity to seek out further sustainable food solutions as the world changes. “Environment Innovators is a programme we are very proud of given the pressures on global food supply. “Finally, all of us at Agri Aware would like to thank UCD and BiOrbic for their help in getting this programme to schools.”
Derek O’Brien, Executive Director of BiOrbic Bioeconomy SFI Research Centre said “Now more than ever we need innovative thinking to address our most pressing environmental challenges. BiOrbic is delighted to have partnered with AgriAware to develop the Environmental Innovators programme, which will support young people to develop new ideas and solutions for a sustainable future.”
