QUALITY FOOD FOR EVERYONE WITH BONTEKOE - LEIDEN

In 2018, the Global Goals were presented in the Groene Idee Café in Leiden. The Groene Idee Café (in English: Green Idea Café) is an initiative from the city that has now existed for 15 years to bring together people from Leiden with good ideas. The café often seeks collaboration with the municipality.
During the Global Goals event, guests sat around special themed tables. The initiative to use urban agriculture for customers of the food bank came from the initiators Stichting het Zoete Land, FoodBank Leiden and the residents' association of the Zeeheldenbuurt. Their idea matched perfectly with the future redevelopment of the park in the district, and the municipality of Leiden was able to provide the land.
During the event Eveline Idema from Food Bank Leiden and Nanda van Beest from the municipality were present. This got the ball rolling, and the Municipality of Leiden made an effort to realise the initiative. Nanda van Beest brought colleagues from the social domain together with district directors and cluster management. They joined forces to realise the vegetable park.
The customers of the Food Bank chose which vegetables should be grown themselves. Finally, in 2020, the time had come: alderman Ashley North signed the management covenant in January together with the neighbourhood association and Stichting Leiden Oogst. In May, the first lettuce, spring onions and turnip greens were distributed. In June there was the first potato harvest, of no less than 700 kilograms of potatoes!

The concept of urban agriculture suits a biodiverse city. In addition, the initiative contributes to a healthier soil and healthier residents: they receive fresh vegetables, something that is often difficult for food banks to achieve. The park suits the neighbourhood, where relatively speaking many lower income groups live.
Because the gardens works with volunteers and organic gardeners, a lot of knowledge is passed on as well. There is also room to introduce people to new vegetables and preparations methods. For example, by learning what you can do with fennel, or how to prepare turnip greens. This increases people's autonomy and contributes to a sense of community.
The contact details of Stadstuinderij Het Zoete Land can be found on the website of Stichting Leiden Oogst (which manages both gardens): https://www.hetzoeteland.nl/stichting-leiden-oogst/

This action contributes to the following goals:

• goal 2, ‘no hunger’
• goal 3, ‘good health and well-being’
• goal 11, ‘sustainable cities and communities’
• goal 12, ‘responsible consumption and production'
• goal 15 ‘life on land’ and goal 17 ‘collaboration to achieve goals’