From the ground to the table: Agroecology in a community
Description: CSA Semi di Comunità is a great novelty for the Roman agricultural environment and for the whole of central Italy. In fact, we are the first agricultural reality not to sell vegetables! We produce our own food in our large garden, deciding together what, how and how much to plant. This practice allows us to minimise food waste. We are driven by values of solidarity, inclusion, sharing knowledge and respect for nature and human beings. The participation of members in agricultural activities in the fields is one of the fundamental practices of our project, allowing us to pass on knowledge, share experiences, work side by side, share moments of conviviality and forge bonds of friendship.
Type of Work: Generally, Roman summers are hot and not very rainy, and to avoid the hottest hours the activities in the camps will be divided between the morning (7:30 - 11:00) and the afternoon (17:00 - 19:00). (Sundays and Mondays are planned as rest days). Among the main activities :
- Transplanting and sowing seedlings.
- Weeding weeds from the rows by hand and with light tools.
- Harvesting vegetables and helping to prepare and divide them.
- Picking and tying tomatoes.
- Mount the fields with irrigation hoses.
- Manually control insect pests.
- Weather permitting, eco-building activities are also planned during the week of the work camp, such as plastering a thatched structure with lime or extraordinary maintenance activities.
Study Theme: The issue is certainly broad, but if we have to summarise it with a concept it is certainly the food sovereignty of a community of solidarity, respecting the environment:
- Through the socio-economic organisation model of the cooperative, which has chosen not to turn to the market to sell its products, but to self-finance and distribute them among its members.
- Through the production of healthy food, using agro-ecological production techniques that enrich the biodiversity of the fields and tend, over time, to reintroduce an agro-forestry system.
Accommodation: Accommodation will be in tents. Volunteers are invited to bring their own tent, maximum size 2 people, sleeping bag, sleeping mat, headlamp, comfortable shoes and clothes, sun cream, hat and a towel. The tent area is on the edge of the forest, well protected from the heat of the day and dedicated to volunteers only.There are 3 handmade solar showers. It is important to use only biodegradable and environmentally friendly soaps. There is a Compost Toilet shared. In a separate area there is also a gas cooker and a washing machine. Activities and life in the CSA is entirely outdoors.
Language: English
Requirements: A desire to get involved and learn. A desire to chat and share experiences. Desire to make a little physical effort: work in the fields can be tiring, but here everyone goes at their own pace and takes the breaks they need!
Approximate Location: Via Prato della Corte, 1602, Roma, Lazio, Italia
Notes: Please kindly note that there is an additional incoming fee of 50 Euros for all volunteers applying through Partner organisations or Contacts of the SCI network. Check the status here: https://bit.ly/3vhBD5J. This fee covers hosting costs, insurance, a small travel fund to enable disadvantaged volunteers to join projects and administration costs and is to be paid on arrival at the project or online directly to the hosting branch. For volunteers coming through SCI Branches and Groups there is no additional incoming fee, since the costs covered by the additional fee are included in the amount paid to the sending branch.