About the topic:
Food security and food safety are becoming issues of growing concern due to global climate change and environmental contamination. Currently, about 98% of the vegetables in the markets in Hong Kong are imported, however, urban agriculture can play a role in the production of safe quality food, in addition to providing a green oasis in our fast-paced and highly urbanised city. With the implementation of the New Agriculture Policy in 2017 to promote the modernisation and sustainable development of local agriculture, there is greater awareness about the benefits of growing locally. Small-scale farming, including leisure, recreational farming, and demonstration farms in secondary schools, has a high educational potential. Through hands-on interaction with the soil and planting, farming not only nurtures the plants, but it also nurtures the young generation to gain a deeper appreciation of nature and to treasure the environment and the hard work of our farmers producing quality food for us. By teaching urban agriculture, and thus integrating nature and sustainability education into the school curriculum, secondary school students will learn many important concepts such as respect and care of our nature and environment, the interrelationships between food and agriculture and how every person can contribute to sustainable development. Urban agriculture can cultivate and build an oasis in education for students to explore and to interact with nature. And in the process, develop and strengthen positive life values that can guide them throughout their lives.
講題內容:
由於全球氣候變化和環境污染，糧食穩定和糧食安全成為人們日益關注的課題。目前，香港市場上約有98％的蔬菜是進口的，然而，都市農業除了可以為我們這個節奏急促及高度城市化的城市提供綠洲之外，還可以在生產安全及優質食品方面發揮作用。隨著2017年新農業政策的實施，當地農業的現代化和可持續發展得以促進，人們對本地種植的好處有了更廣泛的認識。小規模農業，包括休閒、休閒農業和中學模擬農場具有很高的教育潛力。透過耕作，人們親身體驗種植和土壤，耕作不僅培育植物，還培育年輕一代懂得欣賞大自然、珍惜環境和欣賞農民為我們生產優質食物的辛勤勞動。通過教授都市農業，並將自然與可持續性教育納入學校課程，中學生能學習許多重要概念，例如對我們的自然與環境的尊重與關懷，糧食與農業之間的相互關係，以及每個人如何為可持續發展作出貢獻。都市農業可以在教育中培養和建立綠洲，讓學生探索自然並與之交流。在此過程中，發展並加強積極的人生觀，這些價值觀對他們一生受用。
