A group of elementary, junior high and high school students in the city of Fukushima are taking part in an initiative to develop original recipes using local agricultural products as part of a broader project to highlight the city's recovery from the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.
The first phase of the campaign, known as the Fukko Project, whereby the students create new dishes, started Dec. 16. It is designed to help the children learn about local agriculture so they will be able to implement their own action plans to assist Fukushima's recovery.
"I am convinced that the experiences of thinking about and taking actions to better their hometown will serve as a driving force for these children in the future," said Kimio Suzuki, the director of the municipal Mikawadai Learning Center, the organizer of the campaign.