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Innovations in urban agriculture for food security, livelihoods and environment in Kenya |
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In 2008, Solidarités International, a French NGO designed Garden-in-Sack low cost urban garden system to help residents living in informal settlements grow their own food. The ?Vertical farms? are made using recycled or biodegradable sacks, filled with soil and livestock manure. Small stones are placed down the center for proper drainage using a small empty tin where crops such as kale, spinach and onions are planted, and holes are poked in the sacks for drainage. The sacks can be stacked one above another, using shelving, saving space and increasing productivity. I happened to be involved in the project working as a Data entry clerk and project assistant at the field in Kibera, Kenya the largest slum in Africa. Kibera is located in Kenya's capital city on a 10 hectares piece of land in the center of Nairobi .With a population close to one million, most people live below a dollar a day. The slum is pretty cramped in quarters with narrow foot paths and even owning your own house doesn?t guarantee you will have enough space for a lawn or garden. This has resulted in food prices increase, waste disposal challenges, unsustainable use of natural resources and consumption patterns converging pressure on current and future food availability and access in cities. Promotion of Integration of innovative form of urban farming by rehabilitating dumpsites through Sack-gardening by the slum dwellers , can provide access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and healthy life . Further to that these small urban gardens can help women, who compose the majority of urban farmers, grow food for their families and sell the surplus improving their diets and livelihoods. This model can be replicated to other parts of developing countries across the world because the Sack gardens can raise living standards by reducing pollution and minimizing waste disposal issues while meeting dietary needs. Urban farmers, for example, often use wastewater to irrigate and fertilize their crops. To help farmers avoid health hazards, the International Water Management Institute has helped them build simple filtration systems, like waste sedimentation ponds, in places like Accra, Ghana. Despite challenges associated with the project such as limited space, crop and sack damage by animals, pests, and disease, and limited availability to clean soil, manure, seedlings, and water, the sack gardens provide many collateral benefits, such as developing social cohesion and empowering women and marginalized groups(Solidarités International report). |
 
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12 Comments
wow i like the innovation of the suck garden we can even start the projects in other slums within in Nairobi
Posted 05-11-2014 16:10
sack gardening is a simple home project and a good solution for city homes that don't have much outdoor space. Sack gardens can work in any city, but they can be especially important in developing countries and urban slums.
Thanks for sharing, Samuel. I learn a lot from your article :)
Posted 27-09-2014 19:51
Sack Garden is an amazing concept, Samuel. It has potential of success in many countries. Thanks for sharing
Posted 15-09-2014 19:34
Thx for the article..I learnt a lot from your article on urban farming by rehabilitating dumpsites through Sack-gardening...Thx Eco-generation for providing us to be involved with such a forum where every moment is a learning moment...
Posted 13-09-2014 17:03
This is a good innovation! Kudos to you, Samuel! We can benchmark it here in our region since having enough space is also a big issue here. It can even be a source of alternative income if household can produce more than what they would consume. :)
Posted 12-09-2014 21:51
Rahul Acharya thanks alot for your comments , I will look more on the website .Guru Vishnu Mathivanan ,I want to learn more from you,thanks you :-)
Posted 12-09-2014 17:46
Thank you friends for your wonderful comments @Arushi Madan ,Christy Lee, Rohan Kapur yes the idea is simple and it can be replicated to other regions across the world using locally available materials
Posted 12-09-2014 17:44
Thanks for introducing another interesting , simple and sustainable form of agriculture. Garden in a sack or sack gardening is a wonderful way of growing food and consuming pure and healthy , naturally grown food ,a way to curb poverty , food insecurity , adulteration in food. Such gardens are so simple to start , and even transport(they are easily portable). As you rightly said that more and more countries especially developing ones should adopt such practices.
Posted 12-09-2014 03:18
Thank you for the interesting introduction on Sack-gardening! It's easy and simple innovation in house-gardening for everyone. For me, these kind of inventions are real invention reachable and doable for all. As you mentioned, it's applicable for anywhere and it can improve health condition of people residing in slum areas.
Posted 11-09-2014 14:17
its really great concept. Terrace garden and now here SAck-garden. We must develop such urban agriculture concept and utilize every bit of land to produce food. Home garden and kitchen garden must be promoted by all of usto solve hunger and mal nutrition problem, to get healthy food to eat.thank you for posting such article Samuel.
And i would like you to search on the topic Urban/Periurban horticulture/Agriculture.
Posted 10-09-2014 19:49
Your sack garden looks like our open terrace garden, where we grow vegetables for our daily needs.
Posted 10-09-2014 16:24
Thanks for introducing us to Sack-Gardens, Samuel. The pics are vivid enough to showcase the potential this innovation has.
You are right that this can be adopted in various countries. It is quite simple & very effective.
Posted 10-09-2014 13:27