Food with and without pollinators

Activity concept

You have to feed your hive. It's as simple as that. But never underestimate the importance of eating as a social and symbolic activity. During eating participants get to know each other and exchange opinions. And given that most foods are in one way or another connected to pollinators, a meal can become an opportunity to explore this important fact - and to exchange receipts! 

This specific concept for a food break aims to illustrate how much we are in fact dependent on pollinators for food by visualising two scenarios: the world with pollinators and one without. To make this alternative tangible, offer food to participants on two tables: one overflowing with a diversity of fruits, vegetables, nuts etc.; the other largely empty. 

Stage: Looking after participants

Format: In person

Work Modality: Plenary

Location: Outdoor, Indoor

Duration: 60mins

Topic(s): Pollinators

Preparations

Menu should be prepared in collaboration with an entomologist, who can help you identify exactly which local foods depend on pollinators and to what extent. You can also watch the 'Hungry hive' section of Pollinator Park on food to find more general information on both availability and prices of food if pollinators disappeared. 

Tools

Tables and chairs

Team

Facilitator / moderator, Scientific expert (e.g., entomologist)

Process

For this activity you will need two types of food - that which requires pollinators (i.e., orange juice, broccoli, coffee, mustard) and that which doesn’t require pollination (i.e., milk, water, wheat).

Set up two tables side by side. In the first one, display both groups of foods and label it ‘With pollinators’; in the second one display just the food which doesn’t require pollinators and label it ‘Without pollinators’.

Allow some time for people to explore the tables on their own. However, it's a good idea to have an expert/facilitator who can help with the questions that might arise or, indeed, trigger conversations. Potential topics to explore are:

• How does the decrease of pollinators affect food availability?
• Why do some foods need pollinators and others don’t?
• Are there ways to reduce the dependence of agriculture on pollinators? What would be wider consequences of this?
• What would it be like to live without all the foods that depend on pollination - how (un)healthy and (un)enjoyable would that diet be?
• How would prices of food change with reduced availability?
• What inequalities would arise in access to food supplies?

There are other ways to set up this activity that convey more information about the topic or are more interactive. For instance, you can set up four different tables, each representing a different decade (2020- 2030, 2030-2040, 2040-2050, 2080-2090). In the first table, display several different foods, that both need and don’t need pollinators for its production. From the first table to the last, progressively eliminate the variety and amount of food that relies on pollinators. Label each table with the corresponding decade and add a description of what changed during that period of time.

Another idea is to invite participants to a 'pollinator-free' restaurant. Distribute among participants menus with names of different dishes to choose from, but remind them that in this restaurant they can’t pick any food produced by pollinators. Ask them to cross out all the dishes that contain such foods and afterwards make their order with what is left.

The simplest is to set up just one table with both groups of food, but inform participants that they can select from the table to their plate only food that doesn’t need pollinators. During the selection process, participants will have to think about whether each specific food depends on pollinators. There can be an expert helping with any question they might have about how different foods are produced and how/whether pollinators are involved. Afterwards, they can be invited to taste everything, since we fortunately still have pollinators.

Compatibility

• This activity can be connected to a >guided tour, especially if it is located in agricultural areas. You can organise it at the end of the tour, as participants will likely be hungry and will need some rest.