GIY (Grow it yourself) has developed the concept of ‘food empathy’ – that if you grow some of your own food you will become more aware of wider environmental implications of our current food systems. What if we could make this the norm in communities and invest properly in an infrastructure for growing more food in schools, community gardens, cities and allotments – together with the skills and education to enable a bioregion where food-growing is everywhere?
Food Empathy
Our Research shows that when people grow their own food it shifts their knowledge, attitudes and behaviour around food. It empowers them to make healthier and more sustainable choices.
Growing Neighbourhoods
A place-based food growing solution for homes, schools, communities and workplaces
Growers Platform
Connecting growers & growing groups across the bioregion. Providing a platform for growers to connect, share, learn & inspire. Mapping activity & engagement. Evaluating impact of place-based growing (4 Rs)
4 Returns
Inspiration
Is there a common vision, a shared sense of purpose? Does trust need to be established? Is there a sense of pride, local identity, connection to art? Are the people empowered and confident?
When people start growing their own food, it leads to a shift in their knowledge, attitude & behaviours relating to food and how it’s produced, used and disposed. This return is one of Food Empathy.
Aim: a third of everyone in a neighbourhood/community starting their food empathy journey through the act of food growing.
Natural
Will there be a return of ecosystem functions and resilience? Will the soil health and water quality/quantity improve? Will biodiversity and habitats increase? Will this contribute to climate mitigaton/adaption?
- Connecting people around the value of local, organically grown food, and developing locally available organic food supply.
- Growing community capacity for food growing as a place-based pro-environmental activity.
- CO2 savings at individual & aggregated level; 1 KG per 1KG of food growing locally & organically.
- Food Empathy outcomes that support the natural world, to include biodiversity increase, connections with soil and seasons
Social
Can we create more meaningful jobs and secure livelihoods? How strong are the social networks and exchange ecosystems? Can there be useful increase of knowledge and skills? Will there be a return of health and well-being? Will social cohesion and sense of community increase?
- Cultivating the lifelong skill of food growing amongst members of a community, across all sectors.
- Empowering communities to create their own source of healthy, nutritious, organic food supply.
- Supporting social cohesion (42% of people report increased feeling of social connection through food growing).
- Increasing social capital by bringing people together 1) digitally via a global grower’s platform or online hub, and 2) in the real world through growing capacity in schools, community gardens etc
Financial
What increase in profit do you hope to see? What will any ROI look like? Tax revenues? Will more grants, donations, subsidies and loan guarantees come as a result? Will there be savings – for example through reduction of disaster or health costs?
- Financial cost saving through capacity to self-provide up to €400 worth of locally grown food a year per household.
- At a global level, a tipping point for food system change that reduce food miles globally.
- Proof of concept of delivering this kind of place-based programme generating additional public as well as philanthropic funding.
- Supporting Ireland’s horticultural industry by increasing demand for fresh veg. At a time when there are only 135 field scale commercial vegetable growers in IE due to consolidation in marketplace, and high volumes of imported veg, this is key to maintain market demand to support native horticulture.