"There is a seed inside of every tree and a tree inside of every seed." - Matshona Dhliwayo
Our newest project is in conjunction with the fish farm in Manila. Our hardworking and committed team has successfully planted 1,500 tropical fruit-bearing trees. These include mango, guyabano, rambutan, jackfruit, grapefruit, star apple, bananas, lemons, tamarind, and mulberry. We are delighted to grow a forest of various nutritional trees.
We have 10 feeding centres in which 50 children are beneficiaries per area. In total, we are providing nutritious food for 650 children in significant need. It’s not food for today, it’s food for generations and it will feed thousands of children for many years to come. We accomplished this project and raised funds through our partnership with the Warran Glen cafe owned by Fiona and Dave Taylor. They are an exceptional part of this project and have been an incredible support for OnePlate. Warran Glen cafe is also featured in our iconic cookbook Brunch in Melbourne.
In spite of the pandemic, Warran Glen cafe continued to support OnePlate and the Agroforestry project. Although the cafe suffered during Melbourne’s toughest lockdowns, their generosity and compassion did not stop.
Along with the fruit trees, we have also built a nursery for seedlings to increase vegetable production. In a few years, there will be a substantial harvest of delicious, organic fruits and vegetables. Similar to other sustainable projects we have commenced globally, this project carries multiple benefits to the community, including income-generating opportunities and food security for thousands of vulnerable children and poor families.
About 60% of the production will be sold to the food market for an income which will be used to provide maintenance and help the staff assigned to monitor the produce providing food security for the children. In this context, the Agroforestry is a great space for agricultural training and an opportunity to enrich the skills of the locals.
Besides the fruits and vegetables, we also planted supplementary crops such as tarro, coconuts, dates and bananas by the edges of the fish ponds to help stabilise the edges and function as a water filtering system.
Just like trees require ideal soil, temperature and patience to grow into it’s full potential, the same applies to the children we are serving.
