SPECIAL: Olivia Shave - "I see a critical gap in our education system – a gap that does not prepare young people for challenges such as food insecurity, climate change and sustainability"

Olivia Shave is a shepherdess and the founder and director of Ecoewe which offers a range of sustainable products derived from the family’s flock. Olivia has launched the #Ruraleducationmatters campaign and a petition to revise the national curriculum and introduce comprehensive rural education in UK schools

clock • 2 min read
SPECIAL: Olivia Shave - "I see a critical gap in our education system – a gap that does not prepare young people for challenges such as food insecurity, climate change and sustainability"

I started this petition with a clear goal: to urge the Government to fully embed food, farming and sustainable practices in our national curriculum.

As someone deeply connected to agriculture, I see a critical gap in our education system – a gap that does not prepare young people for challenges such as food insecurity, climate change and sustainability.

This gap not only undermines students' understanding of the food they eat, but also leaves them disconnected from the systems that sustain us all.

READ NOW: Farmers Guardian partners up with petition to get farming into schools

Curriculum

Currently, the curriculum barely covers food systems, farming or environmental sustainability. While students might briefly learn about nutrition or climate change, they lack any cohesive understanding of how food production, health and environmental stewardship are interconnected.

This is a missed opportunity at a time when one in 10 UK households faces food insecurity.

Addressing food insecurity requires widespread understanding of sustainable food systems, a critical area of knowledge missing in education.

The Government's curriculum review has already acknowledged that the current system is ‘not working'. Yet, despite this, only superficial adjustments are being proposed and there is no opportunity for the radical changes that today's young people need.

We need more than incremental tweaks. This review should be a chance to design a forward-thinking curriculum that gives young people practical skills and insights into food production, sustainable farming and the importance of local food systems.

READ NOW: Farming careers special: Without passionate people at the helm, who will steer the industry into the future?

Food

Maslow's hierarchy of needs shows us that food and security form the foundation of human well-being. However, our curriculum largely ignores this, leaving young people unprepared for the real-life challenges posed by food security, environmental threats and climate change.

Food education is not just about health – it is about community resilience, environmental responsibility and the foundation of sustainable development.

Agriculture contributes more than £120 billion annually to the UK economy and supports millions of jobs, yet it stays undervalued in policy and absent in education.

By not instructing young people about food and farming, we are missing an opportunity to show them the immense value of the agricultural sector and to inspire future generations to contribute to it.

This petition is a call for more than just reform; it is a demand for a curriculum that reflects the interconnected, sustainable future we need. Together, we can drive meaningful change that helps us all.


PETITION INFORMATION

Visit: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/700029

More on Young Farmers and Careers

SPECIAL: Olivia Shave - "I see a critical gap in our education system – a gap that does not prepare young people for challenges such as food insecurity, climate change and sustainability"

SPECIAL: Olivia Shave - "I see a critical gap in our education system – a gap that does not prepare young people for challenges such as food insecurity, climate change and sustainability"

Olivia Shave is a shepherdess and the founder and director of Ecoewe which offers a range of sustainable products derived from the family’s flock. Olivia has launched the #Ruraleducationmatters campaign and a petition to revise the national curriculum and introduce comprehensive rural education in UK schools

clock 30 November 2024 • 2 min read
Farmers Guardian partners up with petition to get farming into schools

Farmers Guardian partners up with petition to get farming into schools

Many in the farming industry have long championed getting agriculture into schools - could now be the right time?

clock 30 November 2024 • 2 min read
Think agriculture should be on the curriculum? Have your say now

Think agriculture should be on the curriculum? Have your say now

Many believe there is a lack of connection between the farming industry and thoe public. The National Curriculum Review is now open meaning you could help to shape the future of agricultural education

clock 11 November 2024 • 3 min read