Sementes Urbanas -- City Garden

The long-term goal of this program, focusing on the implementation of organic agriculture practices, is to enhance food security, rural development, sustainable livelihoods and environmental preservation. It also encourages entrepreneurship, mixing leisure and work in a creative and productive way.

What is it and who is is for
This project is focused on productive inclusion, awareness raising and a positive change in the relationship between community behavior and environment. In 2008, we expect to train 120 people aged more than sixteen years, exposed to social and personal risk and living in Carapicuíba. Our priorities are:

● Protective and socio-educative measures targeting youth from the local Secretary for Infancy and Youth Affairs
● Youth assisted by the Tutelage Council
● People assisted by the local Secretary for Social Promotion
● People from the municipality involved in other social projects (NGOs…)
● Youth assisted by the local Secretary for Education- Regional Board for Education

Why
The Urban Yards project (Hortas Urbanas) derivates from the program “Conexão- School with the MDGs”, which first appeared in 2004 after a proposal made by the UNDP/UNV (United Nations Volunteers spreading the MDGs through public schools).
The action reached a great social impact. After evaluating the results, we discovered how big the gap between the community and the importance of preserving the environment was. In order to guarantee future generation’s good health standards and a regular source of income for the population, Conexão took up this project (Urban Yards) in 2005, with the support of Electropaulo AES, which provided the yard.

How
We will develop Environmental Education which we will bring to the families in order to train people into gardening skills, landscaping, production of new native and ornamental vegetable species, as well as garden preservation. Through lectures and adoption of agro-ecologic techniques we aim at sensitizing the participants.

Where
During 2006 and 2007, the area provided by Electropaulo was cleaned, conditioned and made suitable for agricultural activity. Nevertheless, we are currently searching for new partners meeting the requirements to carry on the activity.