EDUCATING CHILDREN and young people about where their food comes from is crucial if we are to tackle food waste, climate change and obesity.

Those were the sentiments of Scottish Conservative Shadow Rural Affairs Secretary Rachael Hamilton MSP following a visit to the Hirsel Estate, to hear about its Field to Fork initiative, and meet with organiser Sally Fleming and estate manager John Letham.

Drawing on the resources of the estate, Hirsel offers 'Food and Farming' and 'In the Wild' day visits for schools and groups free of charge, aiming to nurture an understanding and appreciation of food, farming and the countryside while fostering an enjoyment of being outdoors.

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Reiterating the importance of countryside education, Mrs Hamilton has called on the SNP Government to include learning about food, food waste and farming as part of the curriculum.

“I have long called for there to be formal qualifications, at school level, in land management and farming," she said. “We must make sure the next generation learn how to reduce food waste and buy locally, and one way of doing this, would be setting up more rural classrooms such as Field to Fork.

“I want to see the SNP take forward the legacy message of COP26 and use this to teach children about how buying food locally can tackle climate change,” she concluded.