From April 8 to 9, Vidzeme municipalities specialists, Vidzeme Planning Region, and Latvian Rural Forum representatives participated in a study tour to Tartu City and County, Estonia, as part of the Cities 2030 Vidzeme Living Lab. The tour aimed to learn about experience in Estonia organizing procurements at educational institutions, including organic food products into their menus, meal planning, and food waste reduction.
The study tour was attended by specialists from Cēsis, Gulbene, Limbaži, Saulkrasti, Sigulda, Valka, and Valmiera municipalities, who work daily with catering services in schools and kindergartens. It was valuable for them to listen to Estonians’ experience in this field.
On the first day of the tour, participants visited the Association of Municipalities of Tartu County and the Tarty County Food Network, went to Varik School in Tarty City and tried their lunch, and learned about the experience of organizing green public procurement in Tartu City and County schools and kindergartens. The next day during their visit to Kambja Kindergarten Mesimumm, the participants learned about the catering services offered in Elva municipality’s educational institutions. They travelled to Puhja School and spoke with school management representatives regarding collaboration between the kitchen and the catering service provider.
Estonia places a high value on food quality as well as the establishment and maintenance of healthy eating habits. Tartu City is a leader in the usage of organic food products in catering for schools and kindergartens. According to the survey, 23% of all children in Estonia, or 50,081, ate organic food in January 2024. The goal is to reach 50% in Estonia by 2030.
It is crucial to improve organic food consumption in the Vidzeme region. The jointly organized study trip of Vidzeme municipal specialists to Tartu City and County is a significant step towards achieving this goal. Tartu City and County has successfully approved educational institution kitchens, promoting the use of organic food items in meals. The experience gained in Estonia is useful for taking over in Vidzeme.
