The saying ”…God rained down manna for the people to eat…” originates from the Bible. Today it is often used to describe something that comes to us without much effort, much like a gift from above.

The aim of the Manna exhibition is to illuminate the links between nature’s ”free services” and the production of our food. Many people have become disconnected from this natural production base – the urban person is most likely to encounter food as a prepackaged good in the supermarket.

In the Asian section we show the hidden Nature behind your sushi meal. How did that rice, those shrimps and the salmon end up on your plate?

Here we discuss the problems associated with the cultivation of giant shrimps in the tropics such as the destruction of mangrove forests and show that they are worth more left standing.

As much as 70% of global fish stocks are extinct or overfished. But fish farming is not the solution: it takes almost 3 kg of wild fish to make 1 kg of cultivated shrimp.

.Philippine grown rice is an example of biodiversity loss as a consequence of modern agricultural practices: from 3500 rice species to eight in only 50 years.

The monocultures of the Green Revolution make fields dependent upon expensive artificial fertilizers and pesticides. This has kept many poor farmers in the poverty trap.

Six sustainable dinner suggestions composed by famous chefs.

The two most commonly grown potatoe varieties in Sweden are heavily sprayed. Consumers can help farmers reduce chemical usage by trying other varieties.

How many insects does it take to make a hamburger?

Some of the ingredients in a hamburger: tomatoes, sesame seed, rape, mustard, pepper, cucumber, lettuce and onion. They are all pollinated by insects. The wheat is wind pollinated.

Bilden från utställningen med pollinering samt text

Pollinators are declining in abundance and distribution. Around 20-25 people are needed to pollinate as many apple trees as two bee colonies could previously.

This shows the actual number of cows being eaten by the citizens of Greater Gothenburg every day.

Did you know that it takes about 200 liters of water to make one half-liter bottle of beer?

A breakfast leaves a large global ecological footprit: coffee from Ethiopia, oranges from South America, bananas from Brazil, and eggs from Holland.

Ecologically grown coffee contributes to the reduction of fertilizer and pesticide use in coffee production.

Most breakfast eggs are produced in something resembling egg-laying factories. Hormones and antibiotics are often used to increase production and protect against the diseases that rage in overcrowded spaces.

Aftertaste: The most upsetting facts about food production are found in here.

Mad cow disease is the price we pay for pushing production to the max.

Honey 4.50 €

Swedish honey

Less CO2 emissions

Bees that pollinate crops

Honey 3.00 €

Argentinian honey More CO2 emissions due to longer transportation Bees that pollinate crops

A low price may entail high ecological costs.

What kind of future do we want? The visitors’ suggestions are exhibited.

Design plan, Rosendalsträdgård 157m2 in the autumn of 2006. The minimum surface recuird is 137m2

Dinner: Six menus created by well-known food personalities (why not international well known Swedes such as Ingmar Bergman, or J-O Waldner if it goes to China….?) and professional chefs such as the Chef of the Year, the Swedish National Team. Focus should be on food that have a strong association to Sweden and locally produced food such as elk, root vegetable, berries, and it will also aim after a seasonal adaptation. In this section it is possible to emphasize on local actors in the exhibition land (the proportion 3 Swedish and 3 local chefs).

LOCAL ADAPTATION OF THE MANNA EXHIBITION

Potatoes and Fish (from the Baltic): This section can easily be transformed to local conditions of respective country; the story will be adapted in relation to a well known local fish dishes, e.g. Great Britain it will be Fish and Chips (the cod), if Russia it the black caviar (the sturgeon). The problem with over fishing and increasingly toxin level in fish populations is unfortunately a highly global phenomenon today…

Swedish Design: This was accentuated in the exhibition in Rosendalsträdgård 2006. Collaboration with Swedish designers, design companies, and a dialogue with Svensk Form was established. For an international exhibition such cooperation should be increasingly emphasized and special adaptation to companies already established in respective country can be made. The picture shows teacups and saucers by Anna Kraiz and the Excellent Swedish Design awarded (Utmärkt Svensk Form) garden furniture by Jan Magnus Berg.

Local conditions: The whole exhibition can be translated and adapted to local conditions such as in this section “The shop” were prices will be displayed in local currency and reflect prices in the local shops.

The cow-board: A standing section in Manna contributing to an establishment of a local recognition for the audience. The background displays a map of the region and the number of cows in the exhibition is calculated from the figures: population, average beef consumption and the average weight of a cattle.

Global Warming: A new section is planned to be developed dealing with the relation meat consumption and global warming. A recent report shows that livestock cause more greenhouse gas emissions than all motor vehicles in the world (See notes for details).