Agri Aware’s Incredible Edibles 2012 was officially launched recently by Mr Shane McEntee, TD, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The launch took place at Family Farm, developed by Agri Aware and Dublin Zoo, and marks the beginning of a very exciting challenge for primary school students nationwide.
Agri Aware’s Incredible Edibles 2012 was officially launched recently by Mr Shane McEntee, TD, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The launch took place at Family Farm, developed by Agri Aware and Dublin Zoo, and marks the beginning of a very exciting challenge for primary school students nationwide.
Schools across the country will receive their Incredible Edibles 2012 packs with all the resources required to grow five fruit and vegetables; potato, carrot, turnip, lettuce and strawberry, with a view to increasing consumption. Students participating in the Incredible Edibles initiative learn about food origin, the Bord Bia Quality Mark, seasonality and the importance of increasing potato, fruit and vegetable consumption as part of a healthy diet.
The project is delivered by Agri Aware, in conjunction with Bord Bia, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and is supported by the Irish potato, fruit and vegetable industry and Growise by Bord na Mona.
Following the success of the 2011 Incredible Edibles, the Chairman and Executive Director of Agri Aware were invited to present details of the Incredible Edibles project at an Obesity Governance Stakeholder Conference in Brussels. Details of the Incredible Edibles project were presented to a European audience, with a view to potentially adopting this key initiative to aid in combatting obesity in children across Europe.
Mindful of the growing levels of obesity amongst Irish children, Bernard Donohue, Chairman of Agri Aware said, “By teaching children about potatoes, fruit and vegetables, and increasing their interest in them, Incredible Edibles is a key healthy eating initiative that aims to combat the worrying levels of child obesity. Not only does the Incredible Edibles encourage children to eat more potatoes, fruit and vegetables in school, but it also focuses on bringing that all important message home and urges the whole family to get involved and be proactive when making wise food choices.”
Speaking at the launch of the 2012 Incredible Edibles, Minister of State Shane McEntee commented, “Developing the Incredible Edibles brand will be essential to fully translate what goes on in the classroom to parents purchasing decisions and ultimately into fruit and vegetable consumption patterns for future generations.”
Mike Neary, Bord Bia and Chairman of the Incredible Edibles Committee said, “The Incredible Edibles initiative educates school children on how fresh produce is grown, its origin and the important role the domestic Horticulture Industry plays in supplying a key nutritional element of the national diet.”
See www.agriaware.ie or www.incredibleedibles.ie for more information.
