Rootz into Food Growing (RiFG) aims to challenge and disrupt some of the structural inequalities that exist within the current UK food growing sector. The project aims to build a network of Black and Minoritised led growers pan-London who will receive relevant skills development and training opportunities enabling them to grow commercially.
RiFG is a collaboration project between Ubele, OrganicLea, Black Rootz, Land In Our Names (LION).
The project will focus in identifying, understanding, planning and implementing a series of interventions which subsequently reduce barriers to entry into the social enterprise growing system and begin to identify appropriate land for commercial food growing purposes. It will promote food justice by identifying and training a new generation of Black and Minoritised commercial growers who are empowered to develop their own food growing systems and enterprises; grow local and indigenous food (which can be grown in the UK) which is often imported and sold at inflated prices; encourage younger adults from Black and Minoritised communities to create social enterprises, thereby creating livelihoods.
Funded by Farming the Future.
READ: KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES OF SOCIAL ENTERPRISE FOOD GROWERS FROM BLACK/COMMUNITIES OF COLOUR
In early 2021, Land in Our Names (LION) conducted a short piece of London-wide research on behalf of the Rootz into Food Growing project to identify individual Black / people of colour (BPOC) growers to shed light on the experiences of growing food for social enterprise and sustaining livelihoods in and around London. This report is based on interviews with ten food growers past and present.
Image by Javie Huxley
