This video presents an urban farming project located in a suburb of Paris, focusing on both food production and social inclusion. Sayi, a trained organic farmer, has been the chief gardener of the city since 2022. One of his main tasks is growing mushrooms in a special fungi room, where protective equipment is required because mushroom spores can be harmful to the lungs. Using organic straw blocks mixed with sawdust, Sayi and his small team produce about two and a half tons of mushrooms every year. This amount is enough to supply individuals, restaurants, and organic cooperatives.
In addition to mushrooms, the farm also grows vegetables and herbs on an upper floor, producing around two tons annually. The building is not heated, but it uses LED lights that consume a significant amount of electricity. However, feeding the entire town is not the main goal of the project. Managed by the local authority with a yearly budget of 500,000 euros, the farm is mainly a social initiative. It organizes hundreds of workshops each year and offers job opportunities to people who struggle to find employment, helping them move towards more stable careers.
Vocabulary:
• fungi (noun): a group of organisms such as mushrooms and mold
• spores (noun): very small particles that allow fungi to reproduce
• inoculated (verb): treated with bacteria or spores to help growth
• sawdust (noun): small pieces of wood produced when cutting wood
• harvest (verb): to collect crops when they are ready
• supply (verb): to provide something regularly
• local authority (noun): an organization managing a city or town
• undertaking (noun): a project or organized activity
• springboard (noun): something that helps someone progress or improve
Source: DW News