The urban producer's resource book-FAO Publication

 

Urban Agriculture-Download FAO Publication

Description
The manual is the product of collaboration between FAO, Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and several other partners. This collaboration was formally initiated in 1993 when a group of agencies convened in Ottawa to formalise a support group on urban agriculture. FAO formed an internal working group around 1996 and in 1999 its Committee on Agriculture passed a resolution calling for stronger coordination of its activities in this area. This translated into a new Priority Area for Interdisciplinary Action (PAIA) named Food for the Cities. During this period, FAO and IDRC, together with UN Habitat, have staged joint events at global summits, regional forums and workshops.The manual focuses on issues of central concern to urban producers worldwide: access to resources for production; financial constraints; policy and regulatory environment; local government and institutional support; environmental and food quality; and safety standards and group organization. Not only does the manual advise urban producers on how to tackle these issues, it does so by showing and illustrating how much more effective it is for producers to tackle these issues as groups rather than as individuals. It explains how urban producers can be assisted in forming themselves into organizations or how they can strengthen their existing organizations. It distinguishes between issues whose solution lies within a group’s control from those, usually more serious ones, whose solution requires co-operation with other groups and stakeholders.

Nourish Curriculum, a Worldlink Initiative

WorldLink and the Center for Ecoliteracy have recently released the Nourish Middle School Curriculum Guide. This curriculum invites teachers and students to explore the thought-provoking question: "What's the story of our food?"

"The goal of this curriculum is to actively engage middle school students in a meaningful conversation about food and food systems. The activities give students opportunities to reflect on current food practices, to explore more sustainable ones, and to link their learning to relevant action". -from Nourish Book.

Download the Free Nourish Curriculum at: http://nourishlife.org/curriculum/Nourish_Curriculum_Guide.pdf

additional media and education tools.

This document is complemented with a DVD video and

Training Community

This last, Nov. 10th, it was held a training worshop at Escuela Central de Guapiles, winner of the first place of the environmental contest "Solutions for my Planet". More than 30 children were involved joined with teachers and community members that collaborated to the establishment of the demonstrative systems installed at the school. Everybody that passes around the place got interested on the systems.

Interesting Readings

These are some websites with so interesting information about Urban Agriculture, we invite you to take a look to them:

• Rainwater Harvesting 101
• Guide to Setting Up Your Own Edible Rooftop Garden
• Edible Landscapes Worldwide

All these documents can be downloaded from the links under resources section of the blog.

The next links contain designs made by Carrot City, combining architecture with food production:

Visit of EARTH Officers

From left to right: Mr. Christopher Blackwell, founder of Independent Record Company Island Records; Miss Johanny Pérez, SUAGS Coordinator; Mr. Mark Ohrstrom, President of EARTH University Directive Council and Mrs. Mary-Elizabeth Gifford, Jurlique Creative Director and Vice President for Global Brand Communications.

******** 

This  tuesday, november 2nd, the Sustainable Urban Ag Systems Station had the honor of receiving some special EARTH officers. Miss Pérez had the opportunity to present them all the Ag modules already installed in the demonstrative station at EARTH. Whole SUAGS team do greatly appreciate the encouragement given by the visitors and the kind support of Mr. Ohrstrom who is sponsoring the printing of graphic material to teach these sustainable systems among rural communities around EARTH University campus in Costa Rica.

EARTH Box

About
This system allows us to cultivate intensively in plastic containers or disposable gallons and produce some vegetables for our comsumption with little care. It is ideal for people who do not have much time and want to produce with less effort and investment.

Where to do it?
Productive boxes should be located in a place where air and sun is received by the plants.

Video: Urban Aquaculture

GOOD Magazine shows a clip in which Professor Martin Schreibman explains his tecnology for cultivating fishes in urban places and small amount of inputs. Enjoy it!

Double digging system

This is an Ag system in which you take out the first 30 cm of the soil and then you dig and soften the following 30 cm of soil. This will help roots to grow vertically thus you can take advantage of more superficial space. As shown in the picture, a good design of the garden will also embellish your yard while growing food for family nutrition.

Sustainable Ag Systems

These are innovative ways to grow vegetables in urban zones, taking advantage of small spaces, deteriorated or unproductive soils and reducing CO2 emissions to the atmosphere while promoting local markets.

Visitors from American University of Beirut

Visitors from American University of Beirut (Lebanon) came to learn about alternative sustainable Ag production. From left to right: Dr. José Zaglul, EARTH University President; Mr. Marwan El_Sabban, Mrs. Fadia Homeidan and their children: Maya and Rami El_Sabban.

RADA S.A. visit

RADA S.A. visits the module to train leaders of the company as a strategy for corporate social responsability.

Grupo ICE visit

Representants of Grupo ICE, the major company that distributes electricity in Costa Rica, visited the periurban agriculture module of EARTH U to train the department of digital media on sustainability and how to recycle some solid wastes.

Vertical Basket System

About

This system takes advantage of horizontal hydroponics and at the same time it provides others, especially those relating to the use of space.

Where to do it?

They can be located in open spaces or moored in the structures of our home or school. It should be located such that they receive sunlight during the day and do not represent a risk to the inhabitants of the house. They should be performed in an easily and accessible place, to facilitate all cultural work that is carried out.