Container gardening in Acholi Quarters

 With food prices rising across the world, everyone is looking for ways to reduce their food costs. And that is the case in Acholi Quarters as much as anywhere else.

You might think that growing your own crops in an urban shanty-town / informal settlement is unlikely, where the land isn't yours, and the space between houses is very random, and unsegregated. But mini greenhouses and container gardens are springing up all over the place, and as a result the families are getting access to more vegetables at prices that they can afford.

Crops can be seen growing in sacks, in tyres, in old water containers, I even saw some onions growing in an old water bottle. And all of this might be on a largish scale in a space between some houses, or on a scrap of space outside a front door, or hanging from the walls, or even on flat roofs.

And if you are wondering what crops are grown - well it includes (but is not limited to) greens, beans, onions, carrots, tomatoes, yams, plantain, spinach, herbs, cucumbers.

The creativity of the residents in finding space to grow their food is so very impressive, and certainly is showing that you don't need a garden, or even much space to be productive.

And a particular shout out to Florence who showed me round some of the spaces where gardening is being done. As well as her rooftop garden, Florence also breeds rabbits, and through all of this has meat and veg, and little bits of income, to support herself and the 4 orphan children that she is foster mother to.