Collaborative Science Project 2025: Water in Crisis. Local Agricultural Practices

At our school, the Collaborative Science Project (CSP) is more than just a compulsory IB Diploma requirement. It is an opportunity for students to think and work like scientists, across disciplines, on global challenges that have a local impact.

The CSP invites students to collaborate in interdisciplinary teams, applying the scientific method to real-world issues. While it is not designed to solve major global crises in just a few hours, the project nurtures problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and teamwork. It helps students become active, reflective learners who can connect their scientific knowledge to pressing sustainability challenges.

This year, our project focused on the global issue of water under the theme “Local Agricultural Practices.” Water is at the heart of sustainable development, essential for ecosystems, agriculture, energy production, and human well-being. Yet, challenges remain stark:

• Agriculture alone accounts for ~70% of freshwater withdrawals.
• 2.2 billion people still lack access to safe drinking water,
• 80% of wastewater returns untreated to ecosystems,

In our local context at HFARM, within the Sile River Regional Park, students explored how traditional and modern agricultural practices interact with water resources. The Sile River’s ecosystems are under stress from fertilizer runoff, intensive irrigation, and rising water temperatures, threatening biodiversity and groundwater stability.

Student groups tackled sub-issues such as:

• Agrochemical runoff and river ecosystem health,
• The water footprint of viticulture in Veneto,
• Irrigation efficiency and groundwater depletion,
• Climate change impacts on freshwater biodiversity,
• Constructed wetlands as natural filtration systems,
• Public awareness campaigns for sustainable water use.

Each team worked collaboratively to analyze data, share insights across disciplines, and propose feasible interventions. Their work was presented through posters and oral presentations, evaluated not by grades but by their clarity, integration of perspectives, and creativity.

Through this year’s CSP, students deepened their understanding of Sustainable Development Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) and related SDGs on climate, ecosystems, and responsible production. More importantly, they gained first-hand experience in connecting global sustainability issues to the local environment, a vital step toward becoming problem-solving global citizens.

Water connects us all. How we manage it today will define the resilience of our communities tomorrow.