FAO Educational Expert and Publisher of the Journal Interjuli
Marion Rana (*1982) is one of two educational experts for the United Nations’ Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) responsible for the creation of didactic material about food waste. She also works as a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Bremen, where she leads a project on disability and didactics in children’s literature, and is the publisher of the scholarly journal interjuli.
1. Which aspect of the food waste problem is the most relevant for you?
For our teaching materials we are particularly interested in consumers: how can children and young people help to curb food waste and how can they become facilitators for greater awareness about food at their schools and within their families and circle of friends?
2. What do you think is the best way to make improvements in this area?
Education and communication are the most important building blocks in our attempt to highlight the relevance of food waste in the real lives of children and young people: by means of comprehensive, practical information on the causes and consequences of food waste and, in particular, on the opportunities to also become active yourself in the “saving” of foodstuffs children and young people can be sensitised about the issue and encouraged to act in a self-confident manner as global citizens and responsible consumers.
3. Can you already discover a positive development in society in this area?
Increased public relations work over the past few years is sure to have led to greater awareness about this issue. However, apparently this has not yet sufficiently touched the everyday lives of many people.
4. What institutional measures would you like to see in the future?
Anchoring the issue in state teaching syllabuses would be fantastic progress that would hugely facilitate the work of highlighting the issue in schools and would pave the way to more comprehensive projects and awareness gains.
5. How do you see the role of the SAVE FOOD Initiative in the fight against food losses and waste?
I see its key contribution in networking with all stakeholders worldwide. Jointly developing solution strategies with experts from business and political spheres and civil society is indispensable for combatting worldwide food losses and waste.
