The goal of the project “Food Forest” is to develop sustainable food production solutions that help alleviate climate change effects and rebuild the planet’s ecosystem without damaging humans’ needs for food and use of natural resources. During the project, the Community Food Forest model will be created, developed and tested and its potential for wider application studied.
A food forest is essentially a densely planted area, which consists mainly of plants of varying height that bear edible fruits or serve other purposes (e.g. crafts, medicine). Based on the principles of permaculture, plants that are beneficial for both each other and the soil are chosen for specific locations, i.e. no fertilizers or chemicals are used. Foor forests are sources of food for humans, birds, and pollinators, thus enhancing biodiversity.
The Food Forest project helps bring innovative and sustainable food production solutions closer to the community and contributes to healthier and environmentally friendlier diets. The project also supports social cohesion and strengthening communities and offers everyone a chance to learn and participate, including vulnerable groups. During the project, instruction materials are compiled for practicing permaculture and creating food forests to increase awareness of them as alternatives for industrial agriculture. in addition, ways to promote the establishment of food forests are being explored, including through policy recommendations.
IBS is responsible for mapping the needs of the entire supply chain (from producers to consumers) related to the establishment of food forests and the development of a business model, as well as supporting the City of Tallinn in establishing a community food forest in Mustamäe in cooperation with the Estonian University of Life Sciences.