Background

In 2020, as a response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the City Farm Network in Thailand launched the “Plot Grow Share” (Plang-Plook-Pun in Thai) project for vulnerable communities, focusing on those worst affected by the outbreak: people who have lost their jobs or have been otherwise affected, elderly people, people with disabilities, chronically poor people. This project was devised as a coping strategy for people with limited access to opportunities.

Promoting food security through community urban farming

As part of the Plot Grow Share project, the City Farm Network aimed to provide a seed farm to 30 communities in Thailand: 19 in Bangkok and 11 in Chiang Mai. There was an open call for communities to submit a proposal to start an edible garden at community level.

The main idea was twofold; first, to encourage people to create their own food areas, thus promoting food security and resilience. Second, building on a salient idea within the City Farm Network, to support relevant systems involved in food production and the creation of new local food areas. For example, decreasing the use of energy, decreasing the use of fuel involved in delivering food from rural areas, promoting better health by producing food with less – or no – pesticides or chemicals, giving people opportunities to respond to an economic crisis, promoting household garbage management through organic waste composting, and more.

Project details

This project looks at 80 to 100 sqm plots in the selected communities. Since this is a fast response to a crisis, the size of the plots is planned not to exceed 100 m2 to make sure it stays manageable – although some are slightly bigger. Moreover, at least eight to ten people are required to actively participate in each community.

Instead of being monetary, the funding for this project is delivered in the form of growing materials such as soil, local seeds, tools such as seedling trays and gardening tools, etc. The soil and organic seeds were sourced from farmers within the network, thus strengthening local ties and the local economy.

The plots are then planned, and knowledge is circulated in the form of workshops and online literature which Openspace designed.

Supporting the Plot Grow Share project

During the open call, Openspace prepared the background knowledge for communities and participants to read. The knowledge was compiled jointly by Chookeit Koman, an experienced urban farmer, and the team at Openspace. The information serves to prepare them to participate in the project, both before and during the design of their edible garden project. The information was released in four stages, each with a different focus and objective.

The first information pack, called “The Introduction” presented the project, the plot planning system and launched the open call for participants.

The second stage, called “Episode One: Prepare the Plots, Prepare to Grow”, contains information about how to prepare the plots: from how to plan the area to preparing the soil and seedlings.

The third stage called “Episode Two: Growing Factors” focuses on how to prepare good soil, prepare the tools necessary – like gloves, shoes and spades – and save seeds for the next round of crops.

Plant Three: Plant diseases, insects, care and protection

The fourth stage called “Episode Three: Plant Diseases; Insects, Care And Protection” deals with plant care and troubleshooting the edible garden.

Once the communities apply for the open call, this stack of knowledge is available to them as they wait for the announcement of which communities are part of the project. They can read the information and start clearing the necessary space, plan for their plots, study the sun direction, gather the elements they need, etc.

A project based on ground research

The City Farm Network core team researched the plot size and planning suggestions, based on information by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on a person’s daily intake of fruit and vegetables.

Short term leafy vegetables – those that are harvested after 30 to 60 days – which include kale, morning glory, cabbage, green salad and other leafy plants – yield 5 to 8 kg of vegetables per m2. This means that a 100 m2 plot yields 500 to 800 kg every 30 to 60 days. That amount would feed 42 to 67 people, based on a calculation of a strict vegetarian diet that is not supplemented by other purchases. If these community members continue to buy some staples as well as meat or fish, the plot can feed up to 100 people.

Designing the plots

plots in the middle: vegetable patch for vegetables that are harvested after 30 to 60 days
darker green area around the plots: long term herbs that can last for years such as chilies, kaffir lime, lemongrass, root plants, ginger, finger root, galangal, Vietnamese mint, aubergine, lime and papaya
yellow area: compost making area. Communities are encouraged to reuse their organic waste so it doesn’t end up in landfills
blue area: seedling house. The seedling house cannot be exposed to the sun so it is covered by a transparent roof
red area: tool house. To avoid tools getting rusty, the tool house needs to be sheltered from the rain and the sun
brown area: good circulation for the whole plot. The brown area delimits the various plots, ensuring they are not too long. The central plots are cut in half so you cross them without walking all the way around. This buffer is essential in ensuring you can work the land in a comfortable way. If more elderly people are involved, the central plots can be cut further

This basic plan can be adjusted to the individual needs of each community. More functions can be added as each project develops. Community members decide together what they want to grow.

The communities will work with an experienced coach who can talk them through the knowledge.

Openspace has designed a simple toolkit to help people design their plot and express their needs.

The first three pilot projects were launched on the 13th of June 2020 in Bangkok.