ACI Medellín - Agencia de Cooperación e Inversión de Medellín y del Área Metropolitana
The Pitch
The Agency for Cooperation and Investment of Medellín and the Metropolitan Area (ACI Medellín) instituted a community gardening program that improved residents’ access to healthy food and provided empowerment opportunities to women and displaced populations.
The Problem
Vulnerable and low-income households in Medellín faced food and economic insecurity, often lacking access to nutritious foods. Women and displaced peoples, in particular, struggled to find work opportunities and lacked a sense of agency within their daily lives. In addition, rural food production centers and urban consumption centers were isolated from each other, leading to a lack of connection between communities.
The Process
- Created “ecohuertas” (in English, “eco-gardens”) for gardeners to grow fruit and vegetables in both urban and rural settings: Large, rural ecohuertas became working centers, while smaller urban gardens became neighborhood focal points
- Conducted outreach to women and displaced populations to involve them in the creation of ecohuertas and their maintenance
The Impact
- Created 2,057 total eco-gardens (1,975 family eco-gardens, 60 school eco-gardens and 22 institutional eco-gardens) from 2016 to 2019, reaching 15 communes and five city districts
- Supported the production of 36,142 kilograms of fruits and vegetables over the course of three years
- Helped farmers generate additional income by selling surplus crops
- Improved economic stability and agency for farmers and gardeners
- Integrated rural food production areas with urban consumption centers to create social and economic ties between urban and rural communities, ultimately improving local cohesion and leading to a stronger sense of community identity
- Helped strengthen the relationship between women and displaced populations with the city’s natural environment
- Improved food security among vulnerable populations
- Increased access to nutritious foods and fresh produce
- Enhanced health among children and adolescents
