GemüseAckerdemie [Germany]

In a Nutshell:

The GemüseAckerdemie is an educational program that strengthens the relationship between children and nature, while increasing the child’s knowledge about the origin of their food. Now, more than 250 schools and kindergartens in Germany, Austria and Switzerland are implementing the GemüseAckerdemie (“Vegetable Academy”). INHERIT focused on increasing the number of volunteers (“Ackermentoren”) supporting the GemüseAckerdemie PLUS program to help implement in schools and kindergartens in socio-economic deprived areas. INHERIT aimed to understand how the number of volunteers can be increased, how the quality of the program in low socio-economic areas can be improved through volunteers, and whether and how participation in the program as volunteers would lead to behaviour change for sustainability. These insights contribute to developing a long-term support structure for volunteers within the program through a tailored online platform, thereby increasing the quality of the GemüseAckerdemie PLUS program.

Health-Equity-Environment:

Health and well-being are enhanced by supporting healthy eating habits and teaching children to grow food and obtain knowledge about healthy diets and nutrition. Health equity is addressed by establishing vegetable gardens together with schools/kindergartens in low socio-economic status (SES) areas and engaging children into hands-on learning activities, while experiencing health benefits by spending more time outside, doing physical activity related to growing organic food locally, which in turn creates more green spaces and lowers the impacts of food production on the environment.

Key Features:

Growing food in schools to promote healthier diets among children and to reduce food waste.
Stakeholders: The association Ackerdemia e.V., schools, kindergartens, teachers, children, parents and volunteers.
Sectors: Public sectors (education).