PRACSIS sets up European Commission’s stand at Lisbon’s Mega Picnic to celebrate and promote sustainable food
Bio products are no longer just the obsession of ‘new-agey’ types. In our globalised world where food products are available year-round, there is growing appetite for locally-produced, sustainably-grown farm-based products. A rising segment of the population selects food products based on the location and the way they have been produced. Pesticides and chemicals, often used in mass agricultural production are increasingly avoided by citizens for both health and environmental reasons.
Public authorities at local, regional, national and European levels, as well as private actors are joining forces to promote high quality food products across the EU. The City of Brussels hosts annually the Bruxelles-Champêtre event which is meant to put citizens in touch—literally—with the concepts of sustainable food chains, ecosystems, ecological production and rural development. Last month, it was Lisbon’s turn to promote these concepts and consumer goods. That was the purpose of Continente’s Mega PicNic, which took place on 29 June.
Like with Bruxelles-Champêtre, PRACSIS was responsible for the design and set up of the European Commission’s stand. The Directorate General for Agriculture and Rural Development was present to inform the public about the benefits of the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP). PRACSIS set up an exhibition area of 300m2 with diverse and attractive animations: A wheel of fortune, a photo station for kids to pose with an adorable cow, a quiz and information space about EU agriculture and rural development policies, an animation area promoting EU-labelled products, and fun gifts such as magnets and seed bags.
Brand, Mind & Strategy (BMS), PRACSIS’s partnering agency in Portugal and member of EURACSIS demonstrated its effectiveness in deploying logistical solutions, providing technical equipment and recruiting competent staff.
The event was a massive success as more than six hundred thousand people enjoyed the countryside right in the center of Lisbon, with 1501 seedling beds (2420m2), 38 crops (4023m2), 137 fruit trees (1603m2) and 332 animals (2744m2) plus a mega fruit and vegetable garden.
If you wish to learn the secrets of farming and ecologically produced fruits, vegetables and other products, do not miss the next edition of Bruxelles-Champêtre, 21 September in Brussels. It will certainly be another great PRACSIS event.