Kansas City Hosts Urban Agriculture
Pioneer Will Allen
Founder of Growing Power, Inc., teaches aquaponics workshop,
gives keynote address.
By Adenike AmenRa
On August 27, Kansas Citians had the opportunity to meet and
learn from one of Urban Agriculture’s most prominent innovators and advocates:
Will Allen. As Founder and CEO of Growing Power, Allen and a crew of builders,
accepted an invitation by Kansas City’s Green Acres Urban Farm and Research
Project to spend a day here in town, sharing insights and technologies on the
topic of “Abolish Food Deserts.” The day started with a keynote lecture at the
Discovery Center in Kansas City, MO, in which Allen discussed some of the
production technologies he developed at Growing Power, including aquaponics,
composting and year-round production.
Allen also discussed urban agriculture in the broader context of food
sovereignty and food deserts.
After attending a reception with youth at the KCMO Bluford Library,
Allen spent the afternoon conducting a Master Building Workshop at East High
School on Van Brunt Bl. At this event, folks learned to build aquaponics bunk
bed systems designed to raise fish and vegetables in a nutrient-cycling unit.
More than 30 participants acquired important food production and farming skills
which they are able to take back into their communities and pass on to others.
Altogether some 150 people came out throughout the day to listen to,
learn from and be inspired by
Allen. Kansas City Mayor Sly James authorized the presentation of the
Key to the City to Will Allen,
which was presented by Assistant to the City Manager, Kimiko Black
Gilmore. Brook Hollingsworth,
Lincoln University’s first aquaponics graduate, and KCMO councilwoman
Sharon Sanders Brooks were
also in attendance.
Will Allen is founder and CEO of Growing Power, Inc., headquartered in
Milwaukee, WI, with project
offices in Chicago and Madison. He received a MacArthur Foundation
“Genius" Award in 2008, appeared
in Bon Appétit and Oprah Magazines, was named as one of Time Magazine's
100 Most Influential People
in 2010, and appeared in the award-winning documentary FRESH. Among the
many urban farmers and
activists inspired by Allen is Kansas City resident Sasteh Mosley,
co-founder of the Green Acres Urban
connections between growing food, community development, and
neighborhood empowerment.
The Green Acres' aquaponics project is a partnership between the City
of Kansas City, MO, the KCMO
School District and other organizations. This project utilizes campus
greenhouses at East High School to
launch an aquaponics program and initiative that will provide fresh
food to the community, education, and hands-on learning for students. Through
common goals, partnerships and innovative thinking, all
involved in this effort are chipping away at the problems of urban food
deserts, compromised educational systems, crime and a lack of jobs. This
project will feed people while nurturing their souls through a new connection
to food, agriculture and aquaponics.
You can reach Sasteh Meter Mosley and Adenike AmenRa at the Amen Par Ankh (Sacred House of Life) Urban Farm Bales Ave. Kansas City, MO. 64128
amen.parankh@gmail.com 816-839-7945
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Amen.ParAnkh.Farm
For information on EMWOT (East Meets West of Troost)
http://www.emwot.ws/
To learn more about Will Allen's Growing Power -visit:
