As hobby farmers in the U.S. struggle drought this time of year , the activities of farmers afield might be the farthest thing from their minds . But as U.S. granger prefer the bestcropsto grow in their regions and raise the plants usingorganicgrowing method , their counterparts in Africa are doing the exact same affair .
Thanks toSlow Food International ’s A Thousand Gardens in Africa project , husbandman in Africa are go with their community to grow sustainable gardens that benefit their local environmental , socioeconomic and cultural conditions . The garden are grown according to the philosophical system “ Good , white and Fair , ” meaning their horticulture recitation :
The garden , concentrated in 17 African countries within the Slow FoodTerra Madrenetwork , are slowly expanding throughout Africa . Currently 630 gardens have been adopted across 25 land .
Kenya alone has been allocate 200 gardens , accord to Priscilla Nzamalu , leader of Slow Food ’s Kibwezi convivium in the country ’s Eastern Province . She oversees 16 of these gardens , including six school gardens , three folk gardens and seven community gardens .
“ Training of surrounding communities on the importance of constitutional and local solid food has been of help to the surrounding community , ” Nzamalu says . “ citizenry can embed their own medicative plants , herbs for herbal teas and medical specialty , as well as companion plants for pest and disease control . ”
In summation to teaching the community member young agrarian methods , such as ally cropping and agroforestry , the gardens have been a way for the fellow member to create a horse sense of community , become self - sufficient and preserve the local seed tradition .
Hobby husbandman stateside might not see the immediate impact of help their farmer friends across the sea , but according to former Slow Food USA president Josh Viertel , back up this endeavor can help metamorphose the solid food and farming arrangement worldwide .
“ Historically , in the U.S. , we ’ve fought spheric thirst by growing cheap caryopsis and coldcock it on extraneous markets , ” Viertel say . “ In the final stage , we ’ve just displaced farmers in develop countries and created more poorness and hunger . We need solutions that give multitude the resources they postulate to give themselves . We are helping to construct 1,000 gardens in Africa that examine it ’s possible . ”
Each African garden costs approximately $ 1,300 to construct , depending on the field ’s resources and needs , and hobby granger in the U.S. can donate any amount to support the initiative .
“ One of our prominent challenge [ in Kenya ] is water system harvest home and piss - use efficiency , ” Nzamalu says of the arid to semi - arid climate where she lives and gardens . “ Water tanks for harvest rain water and drip kits are a bit expensive for [ occupant ] . ”
In her area , a batch of the money received to pop out the garden will be used to buy urine - harvesting equipment , like a piddle tank , as well as other equipment , including water runway , water pumps , polish tools , pruning tool , pot materials and compost .
While not everyone who donate to the initiative is right away connect to a garden in Africa , those who donate financial support to build or maintain an total garden are give the chance to develop a greater relationship with that garden through a twinning transcription .
confabulate theThousand Gardens in Africa websiteto learn more about how you may take part .
