Agroecology is a farming approach that takes care of soil, plants, people, and wildlife.
AGROECOLOGY
Agroecoclogy understands and values the relationship and balance between all living things; this includes everything from our soil bacteria to the wider social and political systems that we are operating in.
At GROW, we believe Agroecology has the power to change the world. We are creating an example of a fair and just local food system that works for the benefit of everyone and everything; with community and education at its heart.
We follow the 10 key principles set out by the Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Scroll down to find out more.
THE 10 KEY PRINCIPLES
Synergies
Understanding natural relationships is key to creating a healthy farm that can demonstrate a model that is strong in the face of climate change. For example, understanding that clover adds nutrients to soil so we don’t need artificial fertilizer or understanding that woodchip encourages fungi that feed our vegetables.
Resilience
We believe that our farm is resilient in many ways; it is resilient to the impact of climate change, our local community is more resilient with us there, and we are more resilient to outside factors in the market like Covid-19 and Brexit.
Culture and Food Traditions
We understand the power of food to educate and unite and believe it can be a vital tool when integrated into the school day. Our food is grown in collaboration with the schools we supply, ensuring we are providing produce that reflects our communities.
Diversity
As farmers we understand that nature loves diversity. We grow a diverse range of crops, trees and plants, and we encourage biodiversity on the farm. A biodiverse farm is one that strengthens the existing relationships between nature, wildlife, and the land.
Education
Education and co-creation of knowledge is at the heart of what we do. We deliver a wide variety of educational programmes all centered around the farm’s cycles. Our farmers and facilitators work with students, teachers, the local community and volunteers to help shape the farm, making it more resilient and relevant.
Recycling
From turning school food waste into compost to recycling nutrients to storing rainwater on the farm, we try to mirror nature, which wastes nothing.
Responsible Governance
As a charity and community-focused organisation, we have a duty towards transparency. Beyond that, we share our practices, resources, and systems through our training programmes and on our social media channels. We have a student Board of Advisors and a Board of Trustees and will soon be launching a new Youth Board, enabling many different voices to contribute to our Governance.
Efficiency
Innovative agroecological practices produce more using less external resources. We try to create as much of what we need on the farm as possible so that we do not need to buy in. For example, we take leaf litter from the school maintenance team and turn it into compost. We also sell our vegetables to school families so that they don’t need to travel to buy their fresh produce.
Human and Social Values
The farm is about all living things, humans included. We aim to protect and improve livelihoods and social wellbeing through our education and community programmes and by offering a welcoming, safe, and engaging space for everyone in our community to access and benefit from.
Circular Economy
Our farm aims to reconnect consumers to where their food comes from, allowing you to buy your food directly from the person that grows it. We are creating local solutions that can be replicated on a global scale.
Download our AGROECOLOGY poster HERE
