Vertical, urban Scout gardens!
Have you ever eaten a salad grown in the sky? Scouts in Navotas in the Philippines are using cutting-edge vertical farming techniques to grow organic vegetables to feed hundreds of families.
These unique, gravity-defying, vertical urban gardens were developed as part of the SALAD (Scout Aid for Low-income And Distressed) project, to provide access to fresh and organic vegetables for local Scouts and families hit hard by the pandemic. Many people lost their jobs and sources of income, while many more lacked, and continue to lack, access to quality food, particularly fresh vegetables.
“We witnessed the severe impact of the pandemic on low-income families and we deemed that through this initiative, we would have a sustainable way of helping our fellow citizens”
Kim Robert de Leon, Scout project leader and Young BP FellowThe sky farm’s 12 towers produce vegetables equivalent to three hectares worth of traditional farms. The local Navotas Scout City Council leads the project and more than 50 senior Scouts volunteer at the farm, learning about sustainable agriculture through tasks like seeding, transplanting, and harvesting the produce. They also manage the distribution.
“We saw the vertical farm not only as an opportunity to help produce nutritious and affordable vegetables for the community but also to have an available facility where Scouts can volunteer on community service projects, learn about hydroponics and hopefully, earn from the surplus production of farm produce”
Kim Robert de Leon, Scout project leader and Young BP FellowAs the project took off, Kim Robert and his fellow Navotas Scouts launched an appeal on the Scout Donation Platform in mid-2022 to support a new development. And thanks to generous BP Fellows, Scouts and supporters, they were able to raise USD 5000 to help fund the construction of a post-harvest production facility to prepare and package vegetables to sell in support of the ongoing project.
Other local partners, NGOs and the government have also been crucial to the success of this project. For example, thanks to assistance from the Department of Agriculture, sustainability is ensured using intercropping to maximise seasonal farm production, so the farm can produce vegetables throughout the year.
This innovative Scout project continues to thrive, and at the time of writing, was producing fresh romaine, grand rapid lettuce and arugula!
The Scout Donation Platform is a joint initiative of the World Scout Foundation and the World Organization of the Scout Movement to help Scouts to crowdfund incredible Scout-led initiatives. Our warm thanks to everyone who contributed to the SALAD post-harvest production facility set-up via the Scout Donation Platform.
