BIOMISIÓN project reaches schools in Galicia

February 18th, 2025

* This article has been translated into English using Google Translate and may contain errors.

The second edition of the BIOMISIÓN project has the support of the FECYT and collaborates with El Calabacín Rojo, the CIFP Carlos Oroza and Culler de Pau to bring science and the transfer of knowledge to society.

The second phase of the project is currently underway, with research trials on brassica crops in school gardens already underway.

Biomisión es un proyecto de divulgación y transferencia que pretende acercar la investigación agrónoma al pública general

Santiago de Compostela, 18, february, 2025. The Biological Mission of Galicia (MBG), which launched the scientific culture project “BIOMISIÓN” in 2022, is carrying out the second edition of this initiative during the 2024-2025 school year, the aim of which is to bring science closer to society through agricultural crops.

The ultimate goal is to explain in an informative tone and share with the general public, especially with students, people with disabilities and residents of retirement homes, the scientific knowledge generated about brassicas, seed banks, and the importance of local varieties in the MBG and in the collaborating entities (Calabacín Rojo, CIFP Carlos Orosa and Culler de Pau) following the scientific method.

BIOMISION in schools

La MBG lleva a colegios actividades de divulgación escolar, como el proyecto BIOMISIÓN

These weeks the project focuses on primary school students from schools in the provinces of Pontevedra and A Coruña (CEIP Santo André de Xeve, CPI Julia Becerra Malvar, CEIP de Seixo, CEIP Manuel Padín Truiteiro and CEIP de Cabanas, among others). To do this, scientific and technical staff from the MBG-CSIC travel to the schools to carry out “Seed Research Trials”, an activity through which students will learn the scientific method with dynamic and interactive proposals with brassica crops in school gardens. The research trials are carried out autonomously by the students.

During the first visits to the schools, BIOMISION staff presented the “Trial Kit”, which contained five varieties of brassicas, five seedbeds, a Teaching Guide and data collection sheets. That day ended with the sowing of the seeds, marking the beginning of “Day 0” of the trial.

“We are currently making second visits to most of the schools with the objective of deepening the scope of two crops and biodiversity, as well as collaborating to resolve doubts and answer questions and concerns that may arise now or now. On the third day, within a few weeks, we will work on the data collected, analyzing it and preparing, with the students, the conclusions of the research study,” explains Pedro Peón, head of the project.

The transfer activity and the scientific congress of BIOMISIÓN

In addition to this line of action, BIOMISIÓN has two other large blocks of activities: Transfer and the Scientific Congress.

“The first aims to reveal how a knowledge transfer process is carried out in the agri-food sector. The idea is to show how collaboration between various entities can lead to certain research results becoming products for food consumption. For example, taking the products of the research trial to school kitchens or the collaborating entities,” explains Peón.

The Scientific Congress, for its part, will be in October 2025 in Pontevedra. It is aimed at students who participate in the “Research Trials” and its purpose is to publicize the results achieved, familiarizing them with this type of academic events.

Presentación del "Kit de Ensayo" del proyecto BIOMISION — Presentación de Biomisión

El alumnado gallego conoce los elementos del "Kit de Ensayo" del proyecto Biomision — Presentación de Biomisión

The MBG-CSIC is primarily involved in this project, supporting and advising on the “Research Trials” and the “Scientific Congress”. The other collaborating entities (El Calabacín Rojo, the CIFP Carlos Oroza and Culler de Pau) participate throughout the project, but especially in the “Transfer” activity.

The project also has a website where users can obtain further information on the project in general and on crop varieties and seed banks in particular.