pB_AreejBadri_Processbook

Super Green Super Green Super Green The world needs a hug. Nature is in threat, and we should pledge to help it by planting more trees.

to plant a garden is to beleive in tommorow

Why the Food Revolution for Social Change at Zayed University?

Long-term food security has been a key strategic goal for the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which ranks 21 on the Global Food Security Index (The Economist Group, 2019).

The country is vulnerable to food shortages, price volatility, and supply restrictions, producing very little of what is consumed by its population and wasting 197 kg of food each year. Its arid landscapes, water scarcity, and extreme temperatures represent an urgent need to create a resilient ecosystem that sustains local agricultural production in the long run.

To alleviate this pressing issue, the government has devised a National Food Security Strategy to “develop a comprehensive national system based on enabling sustainable food production, enhancing local production, activating legislation and policies that contribute to improving nutrition and reducing waste.�

UAE Food Issues and Local Solutions What percent of the food we eat is imported into the UAE? Turns out about 80%, so yeah, a lot!

While imported foods make the long journey from their home to ours, what is done to make them last longer and stay fresh? Are these processes healthy for us? Do they make food more expensive or even unaffordable to some? Why can we not grow food locally?

From KULNA website

Community Garden Co-designing Food System This can be done by conducting more research and developing decentralized systems for food waste management based on available and most suitable technology for diverse types of food waste.

ZU Waste Management: KULNA compost

making and soil production through the use of kitchen waste, garden litter, clipping, pruning provides an opportunity to implement zero waste practices and waste management systems, which are conducive to active learning and innovative business practices by producing living soil. A larger site equates to an increased space for compost production as well as focus from traditional composting methods to more rapid and modernized methods of managing food waste.

I GROW SEEDS CAMPAIGN 2019 IMPACTFUL

COURSE INTEGRATION AND COLLABORATION:

Curriculum integration, ZU community participation, garden expansion, aided in encompassing a wider community participation.

Working with ECLE was a delightful synergic collaboration for youngsters and students. I Grow Seeds campaign, from course integration to community outreach with campaign exhibitions were held at both ZU campuses and Jaddaf Aloud/Jameel Art Center. Students developed potential seed starter kits, story-booklets, and garden furniture. KULNA garden facilitated space and resources to support CNHS biology, and microbiology courses.

Community Outreach BUILDING KULNA VIRTUAL COMMUNITY We reached out to the virtual community via website and social media including youtube and vimeo and encouraged by the positive and exciting community response for our work and the future potential of KULNA. 183 people engaged in KULNA instagram participated in I Grow Seeds (IGS) Campaign. KULNA is committed to continue the IGS campaign as a lifetime mission. With 315 followers, 74% of which are from the UAE. 73% female, and 27% male followers. Audiences are ranged from 18-56.

The People of KULNA

The actors of the cluster were conceptualized as “agents of change” with an emphasis on inclusivity; hence, profession, race, or socioeconomic circumstances were not relevant factors to the sense of belonging fostered within the group. The actors consisted of three (3) main teams: the cluster, the focus group, and collaborators.

ACTION / REFLECTION 2017-2019 EXPERIENCING CO-DESIGN WITH COMMUNITY

Based on the co-design strategy, the research was heavily relied on the capacities of working with the community of students, faculty, staff and volunteers; focus group, community garden volunteers, student club, and senior student researchers involved, testified to the program’s positive impact through surveys and storytelling.

Collaboration Engagment The Focus Group: The 72 people were the students, faculty, staff, and community members interested in sustainable practices. The Focus Group participated in the KULNA activities.

Local and Global Collaborators: They are a group of ZU administrators, local farms, permaculturists and horticulturists, research institutes, the government, local community-building organizations such as Jameel Art Center, and food-related NGOs that collaborated on the KULNA garden and the cluster. The participating collaborators were the ZU faculty, Emirates Biofarm, EXPO Live, the Permaculture Research Institute (PRI), the Early Childhood Learning Center (ECLC), Green Bronx Machine and various local farmers.

The Cluster: This team is composed of the primary investigator (PI), the 6 co-PIs, 4 research assistants, 4 consultants, and more than 25 volunteers.

Students and faculty in course projects: More than 350 students across 26 courses participated in coursework that integrated KULNA sustainability practices and social enterprise needs.

Social Enterprise Social Enterprise Team: Almanar Albastaki, Faiza Abbasi, Fatma Lahej, Martin Marchetti, Paul McConkey,

RESEARCH AND EDUCATION

The aim of the garden is to look into ways of achieving better food security and agricultural sustainability in the UAE, through being a successful sustainable research/ teaching centre following permaculture ethics. The garden is designed to demonstrate sustainable practices and the potential they have as a powerful tool to generate social innovation and enterprise. Simultaneously building the resiliency of the land, along with its health, and the health of the creatures that live on it.

Students from the biology course take soil samples to analyze for microorganisms, bacteria and fungi around the roots of legumes growing in the wicking beds.

I GROW SEEDS 2019 IMPACTFUL COURSE INTEGRATION AND COLLABORATION: Curriculum integration, ZU community participation, garden expansion, aided in encompassing a wider community participation.

Working with ECLE was a delightful synergic collaboration for youngsters and students.

I Grow Seeds campaign, from course integration to community outreach with campaign exhibitions were held at both ZU campuses and Jaddaf Aloud/Jameel Art Center. Students developed potential seed starter kits, storybooklets, and garden furniture.

KULNA garden facilitated space and resources to support CNHS biology, and microbiology courses.

JOIN US NOW AND PLEDGE TO MAKE A CHANGE