11 April 2008

Dublin Food Growing Visioning Session

Notes from the meeting facilitated by John Harrington, Cultivate Centre, March 29th 2008
recorded by Kaethe Burt-O’Dea (email: kaethe [at] desireland.ie)

VISION/MISSION
(our vision of a future Dublin if Dublin Food Growing is highly successful)
  • All Dublin’s food (fruit and vegetables) will be grown locally by 20XX: Dublin will feed it’s own population, achieving food security comparable to Havana in 2007.
  • Community: civil capacity building: The social and physical and economic aspects of community life will be nurtured and enhanced by the food system.
  • No organic matter leaves Dublin: Fertile waste stream and water is captured and used in a closed loop system (including greywater, run off, and sewage).
  • No space wasted: Every empty space is cultivated to become a productive edible landscape.
  • Dublin Food Growing operates at all scales: From window boxes to allotments to commercial.
  • Anyone who wants to grow food can: Space and resources will be available and easily accessible to all.
  • Dublin diet equitable: The food system does not deprive other people of food and resources necessary to feed themselves
  • Dublin Food Growing will become a driver in the International arena

STRANDS
- WORKING MODELS
Assets
  • Proven Business Case: Health advantages (exercise, nutrition, psychological) social benefits (less crime, vandalism, etc.), promotes environmental restoration and biodiversity
  • Positive Cultural Strategy: Inclusive activity, encourages cross cultural and cross generational exchange
  • Professional skills
  • Examples: existing gardens
  • Collective growing skills and experience: knowledge of horticulture, restoring natural habitats, seed breeding (selection)
  • Enthusiasm and labor
Liabilities
  • Time constraints: trying to do too much, limited available time
  • Tendency to work in isolation
  • Insurance: health and safety

STRANDS - POLICY
Assets
  • International Precedent: Havana, Toronto, Newcastle, Birmingham
  • Time is right: wave of interest in Food and sustainability
  • Health research: Supporting research in mental health – therapeutic horticulture, nutrition.
  • Good relationship with Dublin City Council
  • Existing local and National Political Support: Green Party, DCC, etc.
  • Up Against the wall
  • Potential space: 25% of Dublin’s available land are back gardens, many abandoned and neglected sites.
Liabilities
  • Resistance-opposition from vested interests: business, developers
  • Lack of policy support (clout): official recognition, funding
  • Irish culture of conservatism and apathy

STRANDS - EDUCATION & RESEARCH
Assets:
  • Knowledge of broader energy/environmental issues: contacts in this field
  • Knowledge of setting up organizations
  • Teaching skills
  • Cooking knowledge: all levels
Liabilities:
  • Lack of (community) Awareness: opposition, limited ‘big picture’ view, lack of volunteers
  • Lack of access to local sites
  • Convenience culture
  • Loss of horticultural knowledge/skills: in this generation

STRANDS - MEDIA AND OUTREACH
Assets:
  • Overlap with all previous strands
Liabilities:
  • Lack of connections: Deficient links between groups and links with local talent.
  • Many interested individuals-organizations are not part of the group (yet!).
  • Not cool: associated with poverty

ACTIONS
  • Garden Visits: Work/Party/Learning days at each existing garden (similar to WOOFing) listed on a Calendar of events *This year! Pat Harrington’s School. Sitric Community Composting Garden, South Circular Garden
  • Increase availability of public park allotments (including new parks)
  • Public plantings: Promote productive use by encouraging food cultivation in public spaces in your area.
  • Aim high: (eg.100 allotment sites and 200 community gardens)
  • Register all existing community gardens as community associations.
  • Keep it FUN!
  • Argue for establishing community gardens at every public amenity: school, library, park, hospital, retirement home.
  • Support Allotment Campaign: letters, lobbying, documenting potential sites and interest
  • Develop Group Structure: become an officially recognized association, foundation, or…?
  • Lobby and Influence Dublin City Development Plan * Erik Van Lennep has offered to act as a hub for contact with Dublin City Council communication.
  • Identify and Map Potential Sites: Google earth and community mapping research, make lists of potential food growing sites per area. * Willie Morrogh of Dublin City Council will act as a channel for this information
  • Ongoing active research program: conduct research into the best species, soils, techniques, strategies to support every Dubliner interested in food growing
  • World Class Resource Centre: Education at all levels
  • Resource Exchange Service: Freecycle for food cultivation offering easily accessible information, experience, materials, ideas, techniques, labor
  • Build website as active hub *Volunteers: Kaethe Burt-O’Dea, Sean Shanagher Bruce Darrell, David Logan
  • Become a community
  • Establish a regular media presence: Integrate promotion and outreach strategies into all activities in as many ways possible
  • Become a recognized source for information on food issues for the media