Transforming your farm into a sustainable business
Sanjay Kharod is the executive director of an organization called NOFN that works to address food insecurity and lack of economic opportunities in poor neighborhoods. They do this through expanding food production methods like backyard gardens, school gardens, and community gardens. However, they recognize more must be done to ensure this food production also creates jobs and businesses for local residents. NOFN provides resources and training to lower barriers to establishing sustainable food projects through workshops, technical assistance, and helping with issues like land access, financing, and market development to incubate neighborhood food economy projects. Their goal is to build a pipeline of local farmers and food projects to strengthen the local food system and economy.
Transforming your farm into a sustainable business
- 3. and. Backyard Gardens School Gardens Community Gardens Neighborhood Orchards
- 5. How do we ensure that expanding food production will also strengthen neighborhood economies, & provide employment & entrepreneurial opportunities for residents? What still needs to be done? Not Enough Farmers Food Insecurity Persists Limited Economic Opportunities in Poor Neighborhoods
- 6. We have valuable resources: Available land Neighborhoods wanting improvement Many with growing experience
- 7. Tools + Action = Change TOOLBOX = a methodology, instruments and options to lower obstacles to establishing sustainable projects Land Access Financing Market Development Training ACTION = neighborhood organizing, project development support, farmer incubation
- 9. Community Growing Growers through Workshops for General Public, and tapping into Local Knowledge and working with Neighborhood Leaders Economy Growing Farmers through technical assistance and training on land access, water options, soil building, liability insurance, financing options, market development, and internship opportunities. Project Incubation Increased Food Production, Money in Farmers pockets, Community Improvement Building a pipeline of people and projects to build a local food economy