Frutti per la Biosfera – Fruits for the Biosphere

At present, very little environmental education is provided in Sicily, and there is limited awareness of the link between food and climate change. However, the Etna region is already suffering from effects of climate change, such as extreme weather and desertification.

Etna’s agriculture, which is highly diverse, provides the population with a good variety of fresh products. Unfortunately, more and more people are buying non-regional and processed foods. The project aims to counteract this development and strengthen traditional organic and smallholder farming.

“Frutti per la Biosphere” will also have a positive impact on the current planning activities for the establishment of a nature conservation area at Etna.

Orange tasting in Maletto, Sicily, Photo: ©S. Hermsen

The project focussed on educating children through hands-on activities such as gardening projects and visits to farms. It also supported the direct sale of crops by organising local farmers’ markets and farm-gate sales. To ensure quality and promote environmentally friendly and diverse agriculture, criteria were developed to establish a partnership system, where identified farms and restaurants undergo a check in order to become a partner-company, a “Partner della Biosfera”.

The project involved young volunteers from (Eastern) European countries in all the activities, with the aim of them passing their new developed skills on to their home countries.

• Long-term school commitment: More than 1,500 children at 13 schools learned how a locally sourced, seasonal and organic diet protects the climate and the environment. The schools then planted vegetables in schoolyard beds or pots and tended them on an ongoing basis. 
• Volunteer multipliers trained: 19 young adults from eight countries were trained as environmental educators. They can now share their knowledge of sustainable nutrition and pass it on to new volunteer multipliers. 
• Farmers' markets show local potential: Five local farmers' markets brought together farmers, schools and local authorities. More than 1,000 visitors bought local products, thereby strengthening short supply chains and climate-friendly consumption. The mayors of several municipalities pledged to continue the markets in the future. 
• Continuation ensured: The local team continued the project strategy at its own expense after the end of the project and integrated it into volunteer programmes via Erasmus+.