Food Systems and Urban Agriculture
"The beauty of small garden islands in a sea of concrete is more likely to keep cleanliness than wastebaskets. A medley of fresh produce in woven straw baskets along with pots overflowing the blossoms of all colours and sizes can speak a thousand words of bright promise fulfilled than any sermon for the sick, the despairing and the incapacitated. There is even the horticultural therapy society, permitting remissions and self-healings, working one's way through soil."[1]
Auroville Urban Farming project
Auroville Urban Farming is a pilot project located at the city center, near Town Hall, in order to experiment, learn and experience how to build a city in deep harmony with nature. It addresses innovative concepts as self-production, integral landscaping, roof-top gardening, Agroforestry, grey-water system recycling, participatory and community building efforts to address issues as Food Security. The main focus of the project is to promote self-production, so that the aim of nutritional self-reliance of the Universal Township can be achieved. It is not born as an alternative to anything; the ideal is to consociate food production to what is already in place. This means that the project aims to become, if phase 1 turns to be successful, a service offered by Auroville to the Aurovilians, to promote and aid efforts of agricultural production whether in urban, peri-urban or forest communities. The project aspires to create a stronger unity between Nature, Human Beings and Spirit.[2]
Why a kitchen garden?[3]
- To get fresh and nutritious vegetables, fruits, herbs
- To have safe food, free from poisonous chemicals
- To make productive use of waste water and other wastes from home, garden, cowshed
- To save on the purchase of vegetables and fruits
- To create a healthy and beautiful environment
- To enjoy contact with nature, be in touch with plants, the earth.. There are many more reasons to start one's own garden. There are social/personal reasons as well such as independence, self confidence, etc.
See Also
External Links
- Auroville Urban Farming project official site
- Video: Engineered food and your health: the nutritional status of GMOs
References
- ↑ From the Treasure Garden
- ↑ http://avurbanfarming.blogspot.in/ Auroville Urban Farming project official site
- ↑ Food Security Kitchen Gardening by Bernard Declercq, cited in From the Treasure Garden