Lessen the schools’ environmental impact by reducing student food waste and food miles

• Julia Danilina, Founder of the organic farm Liepkalns (“Buckwheat residence”) and the snack brand Griksi in Latgale.
  She started as a young woman in farming and want to help more young people turn passion for food and health into a viable livelihood.
• Andris Višņevskis, Hemp Farmer & Educator at Obelisk Farm in Latgale.
  An expert in all thing’s hemp. Shares his knowledge of cultivation and small-scale processing while promoting the environmental and economic benefits of hemp.
  His mission is to show young people that farming can be entrepreneurial, sustainable, and even cool.
• Rita Ivanova, Senior Project Manager at Daugavpils University.
  She leads sustainable school food development in the Latgale region with the aim of bringing positive changes in the food supply chain and food waste reduction in school canteens.
  She believes that the future of farming begins in the classroom.
• Jonas Kačkus Tybjerg, Junior Research Fellow at Nordregio in Stockholm.
  He works in the research fields of regional development, policy, and planning, with a particular. In his opinion, young people’s participation is crucial if for a smart, just, and green transitions in agriculture.

Some final words from the panel discussion:
“Engaging young people in agriculture is crucial for the sustainability and innovation of the industry. Schools and municipalities play an important role in bridging the gap between young people and the agricultural sector. Introducing children to farming from an early age through school gardening programmes or local agricultural events can also nurture a genuine interest, even if they are not initially from a farming background. It also provides benefits to local and regional farmers and the broader community, and lessens schools’ environmental impact by reducing student food waste and food miles.”

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