Major Workshop on Slow Food’s Thousand Gardens in Africa project takes off in Nakuru, Kenya

A Thousand Gardens in Africa is Slow Food’s latest ambitious project that aims to create gardens in the whole of the African continent. Today till the 17th of June, 65 coordinators from the English-speaking African countries involved in the project will meet in Nakuru, 150 kilometers from Nairobi. There are currently 11 gardens in Kenya and the number is growing fast.

The seminar will involve national coordinators and educators (agriculture experts and teachers) who are working directly with communities to provide technical assistance. Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda will all be represented.

The seminar will conclude with a visit to the Slow Food gardens at the Michinda and Marioshoni schools, close to the Mau Forest, the country’s largest and home to the indigenous Ogiek people. Students and teachers will present their gardens and the activities organized so far.

The gardens are a means to provide education to farmers and young people, promote the respect for the environment and the sustainable use of water as well as awareness of biodiversity. A garden also means empowering local communities, improving the quality of life and access to fresh and healthy food.

The aim of the meeting is to initiate an exchange of knowledge and discuss the practical aspects linked to the creation and management of a Slow Food garden.
The coordinators will recount their experiences and present the issues reported by the communities: how to prepare good compost in desert environments, how to manage water, how to ensure a school garden is successful.

This workshop is organized in collaboration with Compagnia di San Paolo, who supports all meetings of the Thousand Gardens in Africa project.

For more information on the project and to download the program of the event, visit: www.slowfoodfoundation.org