Cities without Hunger – an interview about how to struggle against megacity poverty
By Denise
Nanni and Milena Rampoldi, ProMosaik. In
the following our interview with Jonas Steinfeld of Cities without Hunger, Cidades sem Fome,
a Brazilian humanitarian organization struggling against poverty in megacities
like Sao Paulo. Would like to thank Jonas for his important impulses.
Tell us about the history of your organisation
Cities without Hunger.
Cities without Hunger.
CITIES WITHOUT HUNGER was founded in 2004 by the
Brazilian Hans Dieter Temp. By the time, he was living in the periphery of the
megacity Sao Paulo where unemployment and food insecurity still prevail. Temp
realized that many plots of land in the rapidly growing metropolis were used as
illegal garbage dumps or invaded. His idea was to transform these areas into
food producing community gardens, where locals could take care of their own
plot and plant and harvest food for their own consumption as well as to sell it
to the community. Temp started to gather friends and neighbors and started the
first community garden next to his house. Encouraged by the success of this
first organic vegetable garden, he started the Community Gardens Project. The
municipality of Sao Paulo supported the project in the first months. After an
election, however, support dried out and Temp went on to found the NGO CITIES
WITHOUT HUNGER in 2004 to be able to continue the project. Ever since, the NGO
has sustained itself with public as well as private funds and has become the
most successful urban farming organization in Brazil.
Brazilian Hans Dieter Temp. By the time, he was living in the periphery of the
megacity Sao Paulo where unemployment and food insecurity still prevail. Temp
realized that many plots of land in the rapidly growing metropolis were used as
illegal garbage dumps or invaded. His idea was to transform these areas into
food producing community gardens, where locals could take care of their own
plot and plant and harvest food for their own consumption as well as to sell it
to the community. Temp started to gather friends and neighbors and started the
first community garden next to his house. Encouraged by the success of this
first organic vegetable garden, he started the Community Gardens Project. The
municipality of Sao Paulo supported the project in the first months. After an
election, however, support dried out and Temp went on to found the NGO CITIES
WITHOUT HUNGER in 2004 to be able to continue the project. Ever since, the NGO
has sustained itself with public as well as private funds and has become the
most successful urban farming organization in Brazil.
What is a community garden?
A community garden in our Community Gardens
Project is an urban farm, located mostly in the peripheries of big cities where
access to organic food and employment is low. Here, plots of unused land are
transformed into organic vegetable gardens and people from the local community
are trained in horticulture and commercialization of their produce. The gardens
vary in size, from under 500m² to more than 8.000m² and usually sustain several
families with each taking care of its own plot. The NGO CITIES WITHOUT HUNGER
trains the locals, prepares the land for vegetable crop production, supplies
the farmers with organic fertilizers and seedlings and helps them market their
produce. All profits go directly to the farmers and the NGO finances its
activities by donations.
Project is an urban farm, located mostly in the peripheries of big cities where
access to organic food and employment is low. Here, plots of unused land are
transformed into organic vegetable gardens and people from the local community
are trained in horticulture and commercialization of their produce. The gardens
vary in size, from under 500m² to more than 8.000m² and usually sustain several
families with each taking care of its own plot. The NGO CITIES WITHOUT HUNGER
trains the locals, prepares the land for vegetable crop production, supplies
the farmers with organic fertilizers and seedlings and helps them market their
produce. All profits go directly to the farmers and the NGO finances its
activities by donations.
How do you reach the people that
could benefit from your initiatives?
could benefit from your initiatives?
CITIES WITHOUT HUNGER’s approach to people is
focused very much on local communities. The NGO’s team is in constant search
for plots of lands in poor communities that could be transformed into
productive urban gardens. After having appeared in several big national TV
shows, the NGO receives countless requests every week to get active in
different communities. CITIES WITHOUT HUNGER selects these communities
carefully on the basis of severity of poverty, living standards and access to
healthy food, amongst other criteria. Once a new area is defined, local
associations, neighbor groups, churches and schools are contacted to reach out
to a maximum number of locals.
focused very much on local communities. The NGO’s team is in constant search
for plots of lands in poor communities that could be transformed into
productive urban gardens. After having appeared in several big national TV
shows, the NGO receives countless requests every week to get active in
different communities. CITIES WITHOUT HUNGER selects these communities
carefully on the basis of severity of poverty, living standards and access to
healthy food, amongst other criteria. Once a new area is defined, local
associations, neighbor groups, churches and schools are contacted to reach out
to a maximum number of locals.
What has the impact of your garden projects been
so far?
so far?
CITIES WITHOUT HUNGER has already created 25
community gardens, where 115 people have become urban farmers. They are able to
supply their families with healthy organic food and make a living by selling
the excess production. This way some 650 people benefit from the project
directly. Furthermore, hundreds of locals have gained access to fresh organic
vegetables in their own community.
community gardens, where 115 people have become urban farmers. They are able to
supply their families with healthy organic food and make a living by selling
the excess production. This way some 650 people benefit from the project
directly. Furthermore, hundreds of locals have gained access to fresh organic
vegetables in their own community.
The NGO has also started a second project, the
School Gardens Project. In this project, the NGO focuses on public schools that
are underfunded and cannot provide their students with environmental education
and healthy food. The gardens built by CITIES WITHOUT HUNGER are used to
produce food for the schools’ canteen and as an open class room where students
learn about nature, how to plant your own food and the importance of vegetables
in the daily diet. 38 of these school gardens have already been built and there
are many more to come. Up until now, the project reached 14.506 children.
School Gardens Project. In this project, the NGO focuses on public schools that
are underfunded and cannot provide their students with environmental education
and healthy food. The gardens built by CITIES WITHOUT HUNGER are used to
produce food for the schools’ canteen and as an open class room where students
learn about nature, how to plant your own food and the importance of vegetables
in the daily diet. 38 of these school gardens have already been built and there
are many more to come. Up until now, the project reached 14.506 children.
Do you cooperate with local authorities and
institutions? If yes, how?
institutions? If yes, how?
Yes, cooperation with local authorities and
institutions is very important for the projects. Many times, the plots of land
used for creating community gardens are owned by the municipality or other
public entities. Legal agreements and contracts are always the first step
before the CITIES WITHOUT HUNGER team starts to prepare the land for
farming.
institutions is very important for the projects. Many times, the plots of land
used for creating community gardens are owned by the municipality or other
public entities. Legal agreements and contracts are always the first step
before the CITIES WITHOUT HUNGER team starts to prepare the land for
farming.
In the School Gardens Project, partnerships with
public schools are crucial. Many school principals contact the NGO in order to
start such a partnership and demand is always higher than the available funds
to do so. Unfortunately, funding by the government and municipalities is
extremely low, which is why the NGO has to get finance from other sources in
order to start the school and community gardens. Apart from funding, however,
cooperation with local authorities and institutions is excellent and the CITIES
WITHOUT HUNGER’s efforts are increasingly welcomed and appreciated among public
officials.
public schools are crucial. Many school principals contact the NGO in order to
start such a partnership and demand is always higher than the available funds
to do so. Unfortunately, funding by the government and municipalities is
extremely low, which is why the NGO has to get finance from other sources in
order to start the school and community gardens. Apart from funding, however,
cooperation with local authorities and institutions is excellent and the CITIES
WITHOUT HUNGER’s efforts are increasingly welcomed and appreciated among public
officials.
Hopefully, the answers give you an idea about
our projects in Brazil. I have been working there for 2 years and I can
honestly say, that the communities involved in the projects really appreciate
the opportunities to become organic farmers right next to their home in the
favelas. People start buying much more vegetables and integrate them in their
daily diets, where the majority are used to consume only processed food. They
also learn about the true value of the land under their feet and what you can
do with it. This NGO truly deserves more attention.
our projects in Brazil. I have been working there for 2 years and I can
honestly say, that the communities involved in the projects really appreciate
the opportunities to become organic farmers right next to their home in the
favelas. People start buying much more vegetables and integrate them in their
daily diets, where the majority are used to consume only processed food. They
also learn about the true value of the land under their feet and what you can
do with it. This NGO truly deserves more attention.
