Monday, 16 September 2024 Research visit at the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo, Italy 

Over the past 3 months, the Department's head, Assist. Prof. Dr. Živa Fišer, had the pleasure of visiting and collaborating with Prof. Andrea Pieroni from the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo, Italy.

Her research focus during this visit was ethnobotany—a science that studies local plants and their uses by traditional cultures—focusing on Slovenian foraging communities and how social media facilitates knowledge transfer among foragers. After conducting 31 interviews with Slovenian foragers of different skill levels, the results confirmed the significant role of social media and other web platforms in the dissemination of foraging knowledge. The study found a growing sense of community among Slovenian foragers, fostered by events like the festival nabiralništva and FesDivjal. One of the main takeaways from this research is the potential of wild food plants and wild foraging to assist in diversifying food sources and promoting environmental sustainability in an era of climate change and environmental degradation.

This branch of science is still in its infancy in Slovenia, so further collaborations with experienced Italian colleagues in exploring the role of wild plants in food security and their significance in modern and traditional foraging practices will be crucial. 

The research visit was supported by the grant of the DIVERSICROP COST Action.