June 07, 2022
Whenua Warriors growing whānau food power
A charity which promotes maara kai expects to put in its 600th vegetable garden in South Auckland before Matariki.
Whenua Warrior founder Kelly Francis says it is already up to 590 mara kai, after an original plan to create 300.
It has also created hundreds of gardens from Kaitaia to Otautahi.
She says the kaupapa started during the pandemic as a response to concerns over access to food and high prices.
Whenua Warrior supplies soil and seedlings and runs wananga to get whanau started growing their own food.
“I’ve had feedback from families who have used this as a starting point. They’ve then let their imagination and their creativity flow and ended up building more gardens next to the one we put in so it’s a beginners package to assist our whanau and create a sustainable system around the new maara kai,” Ms Francis says.
Whenua Warrior also offers a seasonal replant to keep people on track.