Representatives of the ARID Association along with international partners from Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Germany, and Bulgaria visited the Tymbark Municipality as part of the project titled „Ugly“ fruits and vegetables… NOT! An innovative educational program for sustainable consumption and food waste reduction“, implemented under the Erasmus+ program.

The project aims to raise awareness about the incredible amount of food waste generated by our society and encourage consumers to adopt more sustainable food consumption practices. It emphasizes the importance of reducing food waste and the many benefits of consuming „ugly“ fruits and vegetables.

One of the project’s key messages is that the appearance of a fruit or vegetable does not affect its taste or nutritional value. In fact, many „ugly“ fruits and vegetables are just as tasty and healthy as their attractive counterparts, and they are often available at significantly lower costs.

During the study visit, project partners visited the production facilities of the Maspex company and met with the Mayor of the Tymbark Municipality, Dr. Paweł Ptaszek. The meeting, held at the town hall, was also attended by Ms. Dorota Ogórek, Secretary of the Tymbark Municipality, and Ms. Katarzyna Zborowska, an inspector from the Municipal Office. Participants represented higher education institutions (Portugal, Germany, Bulgaria), non-governmental organizations (Poland, Greece), and the farming community (Cyprus).

At the beginning of the meeting, the Mayor presented the Tymbark municipality to the participants and talked about its resources and values. During the meeting, guests asked a series of questions about entrepreneurship, environmental issues, and cooperation with local businesses. The meeting proceeded in a very pleasant atmosphere, and the participants declared that they would promote the Tymbark municipality in their countries.