Yara for kids - a learning experience

Hector is one of more than 6,000 children and adults that have experienced Yara’s interactive installation at Norway’s Museum of Science and Technology in Oslo since June. The installation, which is shaped like a nitrogen molecule, was specifically designed for children and introduces them to sustainable agriculture and environmental solutions.

“Our intention is to raise awareness of sustainable food production and environmental solutions among children in a fun, educational and interactive way ,” says René Hansen, Head of Brand at Yara, the world’s leading solution provider for crop nutrition and environmental applications. “At Yara we provide knowledge, products and solutions that address major global challenges, such as food security, resource optimization and urban pollution. Through this installation we want to make these important issues tangible for children and encourage engagement and dialogue.”

Yara’s installation is split into two thematic halves – one rural environment, which focuses on climate-smart agriculture and food production and one urban environment, which focuses on environmental solutions. Children enter into a gaming environment via an animated interactive quiz where they learn to make smart choices about how to produce food in a sustainable way and how to fight urban pollution.

“The installation presents a chance for Yara to connect and communicate in a relevant and valuable way with the younger generation. We want to make them aware of issues that will shape their future and show them how we, as a company, address them by growing knowledge to nurture life,” says René Hansen.

An educational perspective

“The design is very attractive for kids,” says Dag Andreassen, curator at Norway’s Museum of Science and Technology .“It is the first installation the visitors meet in the museum, so children stop here, they take a look and try it out. It is a real stopper for everyone.”

“Parents bring their children to the Museum of Science and Technology because they want them to learn something and Yara’s installation is very good for this,” he adds. “There is some actual learning going on here and that is what we were looking for. We wanted an educational perspective, not just corporate branding.”

This was certainly true for Hector and his family. Mum (Eli Føleide-Kjerpeseth) helped Hector make the right choices in the Yara game, while Dad (Ronny Kjerpeseth) explained the challenges posed by water shortages to his oldest son, Elias (12).

When asked whether he thought the Yara installation was interesting, Elias shyly responded: “It’s quite ok!”