Fridays & Foodtures? Young minds solutions to food systems challenges

The need for a rethinking of the food system is more needed than ever. The climate crisis, scarcity of the land, industrialization of agriculture, loss of biodiversity and unsustainable consumption patterns are some of the challenges that society faces. Experts, research and evidence in this field is needed more than ever. But what about young people? We are welcoming a new generation of young people, who want to see climate action. A Generation Z who has increasingly realized that we are dependent on science, research and digital insight. But, that the challenge of experts is that they are most often experts in an “earlier version of society”. The research is by nature retrospective and predominantly works with historical data. It has become most obvious in an area where we all - including young people - can claim to be experts, at least when it comes to suggesting new solutions. It has become clear that young people should have – and want to have - a say when it comes to developing ideas, strategies and solutions to the challenges we face. Science and digital insight at school can be a powerful tool in support of positive change. On the Fridays & Foodtures side event we zoom in on food waste and presents five cases to demonstrate the engagement of young people and showcase their solutions dealing with food systems change.

Program

• Welcome address: Young people’s solutions & food waste mitigation – what policy makers can do. Speaker to Be Confirmed

• Food Systems challenge approaches – how Leeds schools are working with tackling food waste from the classroom, Nathan Atkinson, Rethink Food. Leeds, United Kingdom

• SENSE & LEARN 21 - Food waste mitigation as a learning space in a Rio de Janeiro school, Maria Beatriz Bley Martins Costa, Green Rio, Brazil

• Are pre-schoolers too young to use Artificial Intelligence in the fight against food waste? Not in the Helsingborg kindergartens, Simon Melin, IT coordinator for pre-schools in the Smart city of Helsingborg, Sweden

• Break

• Young Food Waste Fighters Club – Insights from STEM and digital learning from the Copenhagen UMAGE challenge 2020. Bent Egberg Mikkelsen, UCPH-IGN, Professor, founder of Young Minds Foodlab, Denmark

• Lean Path from Canteen2Classroom – insights from smart data collection for food waste mitigation in French schools, Thomas Candeal, International Food Waste Coalition.org

• Co-Create – empowering young people to develop policies to improve food systems. Samantha Nesrallah, EAT Foundation

• Panel debate, Moderated by Alessandra, Opponent: Monika Skadborg, chairman of the Danish Youth Climate Council

• Chair: Alessandra Pereira, Assoc. Professor. UniRio, Member of SELEA network Co-chairs: Mukti Ram Chapagain, Co-founder of Young Minds Lab, Giselle Mesiara, Independent Researcher, SELEA Brazil