This community garden is located north-west of the town of Bunia, Ituri province, near the Nyamukao river. It is grown by a group of farmers who came together after participating in a meeting on the Slow Food good, clean and fair philosophy, organized in their region by the members of the local Ituri Slow Food convivium. The group includes 19 people: 8 men, 7 women and 4 youth. The garden was created in 2015. It covers 25 ares by the Nyamukao river and has a loamy soil. To produce the vegetables and organize the garden activities, the members of the project follow the working hours that they have decided together, taking their individual activities into account. To fight against pests, they use ash and an infusion of tobacco leaves and other vegetables with insect-repellent properties. At each harvest, some seeds are preserved for the following season and treated by the women in the group. Manual watering cans are used to irrigate the garden during long dry spells. The products grown in the garden include local eggplants, crotalaria (a plant that is already on board the Ark of Taste), “akayo” (scientific name Gynandropsis gynandra), tomatoes and cabbage. The harvest is used to feed the families of the group members. Any surplus is sold at the local markets. The earnings are used to cover the children’s school fees and meet other basic needs of the families who work in the garden.
Area
Town of Bunia, Ituri province
Coordinator
Pascal Utengi