Huertos Urbanos Suerte de Saavedra (Urban Vegetable Gardens)

The Urban Vegetable Gardens Suerte de Saavedra are a collective project of an entire neighborhood in the city of Badajoz, pioneers in Extremadura, which arose from the Neighborhood Association in Suerte Saavedra in order to generate new social relationships around the care and use of the soil.

Description

The Urban Vegetable Gardens are a collective project of an entire neighborhood in the city of Badajoz, pioneers in Extremadura, which arose from the Neighborhood Association in Suerte Saavedra in order to generate new social relationships around the care and use of the soil.

There were several motivations that mobilized these citizens, on the one hand, the need to improve the image of the (marginal) neighborhood through the involvement of young and old around this social project; and on the other hand, the use of land (which had no previous utility) to produce and create food in a sustainable and ecological way.

The assignment of the urban vegetable gardens is free and for a period of three years, which may be extended for a further three years. Badajoz City Council also covers the cost of water for irrigation, while the tools and seeds will have to be provided by the citizens who keep the vegetable gardens, who will be able to plant fruits, vegetables and aromatic plants.

An important requirement of these gardens is that they may not use chemicals in fertilizers or herbicides, nor may they sell their crops, which must be used for self-consumption.

Twelve of the 50 orchards of the 4,800 m2 of land dedicated to this project are reserved as a social area for the Manuel Pacheco Primary School, the Social Services Center and the Neighborhood Associations (including the Senior Citizens' Association).

This initiative has become a great success and has created a great community that works around three main axes:

• The care of the soil, its reuse and exploitation (ecological awareness).
• The training and awareness of citizens through workshops and seminars: from the youngest to our elders.
• Social movement of support and improvement of a marginal neighborhood.