The face-to-face conference was aimed at 82 high school agricultural students from two schools and their teachers (12), as well as GV staff, their volunteers and four university students. The live webinar was attended by 76 farmers who had recently participated in a survey conducted by GV/MHS and the University of Catania on the economic and environmental situation of their farms. Thus, there was a direct flow of information to students and future farmers as well as active farmers.

 ©Giacche Verdi Bronte

Under the moderation of the school representative Romano Stella (third from right), speakers and topics were:

Pino Firrarello (mayor of Bronte and senator in Rome, third from left): Words of welcome.

Prof. Alessandro Scuderi (Uni Catania, Dept. Economics, second from left): Findings from the survey of local farmers, e.g. the higher biodiversity of small farms and their prospects in the planned biosphere reserve “Terre della Biosfera”.

Stefanie Hermsen (MHS, first from right): Experiences and good practice examples relevant for Sicily from the German biosphere reserve Rhön.

Prof. Paolo Guarnaccia (Uni Catania, Dept. Agriculture, Food and Environment, second from right): Global situation of food security in relation to soil degradation and, referring to our current project “Humus per la Biosfera”, the necessity of humus build-up, both for fertility and for climate protection.

The students and farmers continue to participate in the EUKI project “Humus per la Biosfera”, as well as the University of Catania and four of its students led by Prof. Paolo Guarnaccia.