Pathways of change: Schools as building blocks towards nurturing biodiversity and resilient agricultural and food systems

When we think of schools, we often imagine classrooms, textbooks, and examinations. Yet, schools hold untapped potential to serve as mini-Living Labs for sustainable food system transformation, bridging the gap between ecological farming, ecosystem restoration, and community resilience. Recent co...

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Autores principales: Kipkorir, Langat, Apondi, Victoria, Fuchs, Lisa Elena
Formato: Blog Post
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: 2025
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/176669
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author Kipkorir, Langat
Apondi, Victoria
Fuchs, Lisa Elena
author_browse Apondi, Victoria
Fuchs, Lisa Elena
Kipkorir, Langat
author_facet Kipkorir, Langat
Apondi, Victoria
Fuchs, Lisa Elena
author_sort Kipkorir, Langat
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description When we think of schools, we often imagine classrooms, textbooks, and examinations. Yet, schools hold untapped potential to serve as mini-Living Labs for sustainable food system transformation, bridging the gap between ecological farming, ecosystem restoration, and community resilience. Recent co‑design workshops in what we refer to as the Lower Eastern Integrated Landscape (LEILA) reinforced this vision by bringing together educators, learners, farmer‑researchers, and county representatives to plan practical, school‑led actions for nutrition, biodiversity, and climate resilience. In total, about 30 schools were engaged across the three counties and workshops were hosted at Community Sustainable Agriculture and Healthy Environment Program (CSHEP) Centres in Ndeiya (Kiambu) and Kiserian (Kajiado), and at Drylands Natural Resources Center (DNRC) in Mbooni (Makueni). The Biodiversity for Resilient Ecosystems of Agricultural Landscapes (B-REAL) Project, in partnership with the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, CSHEP, DNRC, Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM) Association Kenya, and other CGIAR partners, is reimagining schools as drivers of agroecological change. The B-REAL project is part of the CGIAR Science Program on Multifunctional Landscapes (MFL SP) that supports engagement in so-called Living Landscapes or Living Labs.
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spelling CGSpace1766692025-09-25T09:46:45Z Pathways of change: Schools as building blocks towards nurturing biodiversity and resilient agricultural and food systems Kipkorir, Langat Apondi, Victoria Fuchs, Lisa Elena agriculture school feeding nutrition participatory approaches trees community development seeds environment restoration participatory action research participation social-ecological resilience community seed banks living labs educational gardens-school gardens extension-extension activities sovereignty experimental farms-demonstration farms When we think of schools, we often imagine classrooms, textbooks, and examinations. Yet, schools hold untapped potential to serve as mini-Living Labs for sustainable food system transformation, bridging the gap between ecological farming, ecosystem restoration, and community resilience. Recent co‑design workshops in what we refer to as the Lower Eastern Integrated Landscape (LEILA) reinforced this vision by bringing together educators, learners, farmer‑researchers, and county representatives to plan practical, school‑led actions for nutrition, biodiversity, and climate resilience. In total, about 30 schools were engaged across the three counties and workshops were hosted at Community Sustainable Agriculture and Healthy Environment Program (CSHEP) Centres in Ndeiya (Kiambu) and Kiserian (Kajiado), and at Drylands Natural Resources Center (DNRC) in Mbooni (Makueni). The Biodiversity for Resilient Ecosystems of Agricultural Landscapes (B-REAL) Project, in partnership with the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, CSHEP, DNRC, Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM) Association Kenya, and other CGIAR partners, is reimagining schools as drivers of agroecological change. The B-REAL project is part of the CGIAR Science Program on Multifunctional Landscapes (MFL SP) that supports engagement in so-called Living Landscapes or Living Labs. 2025-09 2025-09-25T09:46:44Z 2025-09-25T09:46:44Z Blog Post https://hdl.handle.net/10568/176669 en Open Access Kipkorir, L.; Apondi, V.; Fuchs, L.E. (2025) Pathways of change: Schools as building blocks towards nurturing biodiversity and resilient agricultural and food systems. [Blog Post] CGIAR. Published on line on 4th September 2025. URL: https://www.cgiar.org/news-events/news/pathways-of-change-schools-as-building-blocks-towards-nurturing-biodiversity-and-resilient-agricultural-and-food-systems/#:~:text=Recent%20co%E2%80%91design%20workshops%20in%20what%20we%20refer%20to,school%E2%80%91led%20actions%20for%20nutrition%2C%20biodiversity%2C%20and%20climate%20resilience. 11 p.
spellingShingle agriculture
school feeding
nutrition
participatory approaches
trees
community development
seeds
environment
restoration
participatory action research
participation
social-ecological resilience
community seed banks
living labs
educational gardens-school gardens
extension-extension activities
sovereignty
experimental farms-demonstration farms
Kipkorir, Langat
Apondi, Victoria
Fuchs, Lisa Elena
Pathways of change: Schools as building blocks towards nurturing biodiversity and resilient agricultural and food systems
title Pathways of change: Schools as building blocks towards nurturing biodiversity and resilient agricultural and food systems
title_full Pathways of change: Schools as building blocks towards nurturing biodiversity and resilient agricultural and food systems
title_fullStr Pathways of change: Schools as building blocks towards nurturing biodiversity and resilient agricultural and food systems
title_full_unstemmed Pathways of change: Schools as building blocks towards nurturing biodiversity and resilient agricultural and food systems
title_short Pathways of change: Schools as building blocks towards nurturing biodiversity and resilient agricultural and food systems
title_sort pathways of change schools as building blocks towards nurturing biodiversity and resilient agricultural and food systems
topic agriculture
school feeding
nutrition
participatory approaches
trees
community development
seeds
environment
restoration
participatory action research
participation
social-ecological resilience
community seed banks
living labs
educational gardens-school gardens
extension-extension activities
sovereignty
experimental farms-demonstration farms
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/176669
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AT fuchslisaelena pathwaysofchangeschoolsasbuildingblockstowardsnurturingbiodiversityandresilientagriculturalandfoodsystems