The project period is over and the Cultivation Academy's goals regarding courses, knowledge dissemination, networks and cultivation tunnels have been met. Interest in cultivation is burgeoning and the Cultivation Academy lives on as a network with the blog and Facebook group Cultivation as a way of life as a common hub.
But of course we want to continue to develop what we have laid the foundation for in the project. With the climate crisis approaching and the tourism industry being hit hard by the pandemic, we have looked at how we could accelerate the long-term goals of the Cultivation Academy: "”to increase awareness of the concept of sustainability and contribute to a more resilient Astrid Lindgren's hometown while at the same time increasing food production and creating more jobs in the green industries".
There are no funds allocated for this yet. But dreaming costs nothing…
In order for local food to be enough for more people, in addition to the growing group of self-sufficient growers, more commercial growers are also needed. By offering courses, support and guidance based on the growers' needs, the Cultivation Academy would like to help and support those who want to choose cultivation as a profession in the next step. At the same time, we see opportunities to promote green tourist destinations and support accommodation facilities, cafes, shops and other businesses that want to develop their operations with cultivation.
The initiative would lead to more cultivated land, more experiences for visitors and increased knowledge among consumers. At the same time, it would contribute to better preparedness for future crises. By combining cultivation with experiences and entrepreneurship, the goal is to create an ”Eastern” smorgasbord. A countryside where adventures await at every crossroads and after every hilltop in a Småland landscape teeming with farm shops, cooperative farms, collective farms, culture and nature. In the cities, open gardens, urban farms and restaurants await where local products create the basis for culinary experiences. In the meeting, the entrepreneur/grower has the opportunity to educate the consumer about how much time, knowledge and value is in a freshly harvested vegetable.
Astrid Lindgren's hometown could become a place that in good times attracts large numbers of visitors to green destinations and in difficult times can supply the local population with food.
Astrid Lindgren has depicted the food of Småland with love and reverence in her stories. She conveyed what food costs in work. In the Småland countryside, with forests, fields, meadows and sparkling lakes, there are conditions to both grow the ingredients and create the experiences depicted in her books.
This is part of the dream that we in the project group are now living with – and we are keeping our eyes and ears open for new opportunities in new projects. We do not know when it may be possible to implement it at the moment. But when the time comes, we promise that you and everyone else in the Cultivation Academy will be the first to know.