A food forest is a diverse planting scheme consisting of various layers of canopy trees, fruit trees, vegetables, berries, fodder plants, spices and others. Food forests are a new sustainable farming concept based on permaculture principles. It uses compost and traditional agro-ecological knowledge (e.g. to combat diseases) but neither chemical fertiliser nor pesticides. They attempt to safeguard the ecosystem, soil quality and biodiversity. Food forests are three dimensional designs, with life extending in all directions – up, down, and out.
Fastenaktion has established more than 400 such food forests in Kenya during the past five years with solidarity groups improving the food security of small holder farmers, mostly women living in marginal rural areas.
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