ERASMUS +FOOD FOR THOUGHT

5th Geniko Lyceum Veroias

GREECE

2015-2016

European Food production methods

questionnaire https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FWSW8CX

resultshttps://www.surveymonkey.com/results/SM-XQYRKGWJ/

first activityOrganic Cultivation

Organic Cultivation rejects the use of synthetic chemicals

•Organic Cultivation rejects the use of synthetic chemicals such as synthetic pesticides,fertilizers, pesticides and genetically modified organisms

• In some countries, mainly in Europe, organic farming is defined by law, that the commercial use of the term "Organic" is subject to control by the state.

•Some kind of "accreditation" charges farmers a fee, making it illegal to sell products with the title "Organic" without this accreditation.

•Biological culture is a culture method which minimizes or completely avoids the use of synthetic fertilizers.

The most important factors for proper plant growth in organic farming are:

1. The appropriate substrate (soil or other substrate) 2. The proper fertilizing3. The appropriate watering4. The biological control insect pests and weeds5. The proper placement and orientation of the field area6. The proper maintenance of the substrate, depending on the type of crops

•The production and consumption of organic products is increasing in all Western countries.

•Especially in Europe there has been a very sharp increase in the consumption of organic farming products.

•The institution of "popular organic market" has been established in some cities in Greece in parallel with traditional market stalls.

Meeting Mr Karelis in the countryside near our city, Veria. He cultivates bio products.

Our first activity

He cultivates 500 acres of land with Bio products such as: Peaches, apples, leeks, peppers

There are many difficulties but also perspectives of Bio cultivation in the prefecture of Imathia.

He said that the difficulties, a farmer of bio products faces, have to do with the climate change, the encountering of diseases and the consumers’lack of interest due to their ignorance of the bio products value

He cultivates “zea” wheat which is good for the brain operation and protects our body from

diseases.

second activityAnimal husbandry

•Animal husbandry is that field of economy that deals with the breeding and exploitation of farm animals.

•About 5 million goats and 10 million sheep are bred in Greece, giving  our country the 1st and 4th place respectively in these two fields, in the European Union (EU).

Animal husbandry in Imathia prefecture.

•Calf breeding

Calves: 32,299 calves of which 18,762 are imported to be bred for meat.

Breeding units:786,of which 292 are exclusively for fattening.

1,000. Annual production of meat is 1,100 tonnes, whereas milk production is 10,500 tonnes. The production of wool is 98 tonnes.

Additionally, breeders from the area of Thessaly (prefecture in the central Greece) move their herds, about 13,000 animals, to the prefecture of Imathia during the summer.

Goat and sheep breedingAnimals: about 110,000 all local.

Breeding units:

The breeding of pigs

Animals: 50,000 all local. Breeding units: 35. Annual production of meat: 8,781 tonnes.

the breeding of poultry

There 10 organized egg production units with 41,600 hens,and the total production of eggs is 10,950,000 eggs.

At Mr K. Politikos' breeding unit in the village of Agios Georgios.

Our second activity

The prefecture of Imathia is first in calf breeding in Greece

The animals must become 600kg before slaughtering

They are fed with:Cereal (corn,barley,wheat),soya

Most animals are male and the few female ones grow in different stables.

Mr Politikos breeds over 1000 animals.

Third activityIntegrated Farming

•Integrated Farming (IF) is a whole farm management system which aims to deliver more sustainable agriculture.

•It is a dynamic approach which can be applied to any farming system around the world.

•It involves attention to detail and continuous improvement in all areas of a farming business through informed management processes.

•

•Integrated Farming combines the best of modern tools and technologies with traditional practices according to a given site and situation.

•In simple words, it means using many ways of cultivation in a small space or land.

The International Organisation of Biological Control (IOBC) describes Integrated Farming as a farming system where high quality food, feed, fibre and renewable energy are produced by using resources such as soil, water, air and nature as well as regulating factors to farm sustainably and with as little polluting inputs as possible

What can we achieve by the use of the integrated farming system?

•The organisation of the farming system with production planning.•The inspection of the production procedure in all its stages.•The continuous awereness and education of the involved farmers.•The reduction of the production costs due to a sensible use of inflows.•The production of quality, safe and competitive products.

Integrated Farming in Greece

Greek farmers cultivate small pieces of land about 10-15 quarters of acres, following the IFS, usually near their homes.

Our third activity

This is a macedonian type of greenhouse

Farmers use greenhouses to protect their crops from weather conditions and to maximise the production.

The value of the Integrated Farming System in the vegetable production.

The whole family works in the greenhouses and seasonal workers are hired, as well.

Mr Orphanides cultivates 10 quarters of an acre of land.He grows vegetables using certain improvement methods according to the agronomic ordinances.

He cultivates green peppers, aubergines and celery. During this season he cultivates celery.

He cultivates celery in this big greenhouse

After the harvest they prepare the soil for the next crop.

In spring he plants spring onions, greens, celery, spinach, eggplants and lettuce

In summer he grows green and red peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes and other vegetables.

All of us picked green and red peppers, the day of

our visit.

The joy of harvesting.

Fourth activity

New Alternative Cultivations

There are new kinds of cultivations in Greece, that are now being developed.They are of great nutritional value and have become a new field of business activity.

New Alternative Breedings

SNAILS

There are over 4,000 species of snails, in nature, all over the world. In Greece the Helix aspersa species is being bred and mostly its subcategories maxima and muller. In our region there is a snail canning factory that exports muller snails to France.

POMEGRANATE TREEThe pomegranate tree (Punica granatum) is considered to be the oldest cultivated fruit tree. Its cultivation appeared in Greece in ancient times.However the cultivation of IT in Greece is of low levels.Only the last few years many farmers started pomegranate cultivation.

BLUEBERRIES

The history of this plant started in far Siberia many years ago. For hundreds of years people enjoyed eating it without knowing its beneficial properties. The fitness and long-living of the people who ate it attracted the scientists' interest and the first researches about its nutrients and started.In Greece it is flourishes in the forests up the mountains.

SUBTROPICAL PLANTS

Most of the tropical and subtropical fruits play an important role in a person's diet because they are full of a very large range of vitamins and metal elements. Such fruits are: bananas, dates, prickly pears, lotuses, avocado pears and guavas.Thay are all grown in southern Greece.

HIPPOPHAE RHAMNOIDES

This plant, the name of which etymologically means bright horse (hippos:horse , phaos: glow, light,brightness), is a rare bush-plant with great properties which are recorded from ancient times,in Dioscourides', father of pharmacology, and Aristotle's student, Theophrastos' writings. The leaves and fruit of this bush were eaten by Alexander's wounded horses and gained strength,were faster cured and had bright hair.

MUSHROOMS

Mushrooms are fungi. The existence of fungi in the ecosystem is of great importance. The ideal conditions for the growth of most fungi are those which combine quite high humidity and average temperature. In Greece these conditions are best in autumn. Mushrooms have a special nutritional value since they contain a great percentage of water, they are rich in fibres, proteins, metal salts, trace elements, vitamines and enzymes and contain little fat and sugar.

Mushrooms are sown into big plastic bags which contain straw and corn.

Mr Atsalos is a farmer who cultivates mushrooms in the area of Imathia.

Our fourth activity

Μushrooms are put in a greenhouse in order to create the conditions needed (humidity, ventilation, temperature). They are cultivated this way all year long

The mushroom producer is explaining to the students the way mushrooms are cultivated into black bags that have holes necessary for the mushroom growing.

Each bag has 12 holes where 12 big mushrooms of about 1 kg each, will grow.

Mushrooms have a lot of nutrients. Nowadays meat and fish cannot be compared with mushrooms. Meat have toxins and drugs. Mushrooms have only cellulose from straw.

They have a nice flavour and help nutrition and diet as they contain 0 calories. What’s more no pesticides and fertilizers are used for their cultivation!

Conclusions-Results of our research done on the theme”

European Food production methods”

•Food production in agriculture is according to European laws.

•Frequent state controls are made on the means used for food production to ensure consumers’ health.

•Farmers are informed, regularly, how to improve the food production quality and how to increase it.

•Alternative farming methods are used, such as organic farming and the integrated management practices in the primary production.

•Greek farmers don’t hesitate to adopt alternative farming methods and their products are sold mainly in big cities.

•The largest part of food production is covered by the conventional farming as it gives a lot of food production.

Thank you