Growing local food and entrepreneurs
Davos on the Delta came to Memphis last month.
Entrepreneurs, industry experts, customers and investors gathered to discuss the biggest trends in agriculture, including how new technologies and innovative business models are redefining the future of agriculture. The concept sparked an idea. The Shelby County Land Bank has about 4,509 properties available for sale.
More than 20 percent of our 16- to 24year-olds are neither working nor in school.
We have ex-felons who want to work but will never get a chance to provide for their families because of mistakes from their past.
Urban agriculture presents an interesting opportunity to increase entrepreneurs and put some people to work regardless of age, education, or criminal records.
Urban agriculture is the practice of growing, processing and distributing food around a city.
Imagine if Memphis and Shelby County decided to activate vacant properties around the city. Memphis could provide urban agriculture training and provide start-up funding for tools, equipment and seeds. Shelby County could provide the land.
As our newly minted growers cultivate their crops, local entrepreneur could provide value by processing the crops. The processor could sell to a new wholesaler. The wholesaler could sell its fresh, locally grown crops to Shelby County Schools.
The Shelby County Commission or the Shelby County School Board should pass an ordinance mandating the purchase of crops from our new urban agriculture entrepreneurs.
If local corporations want to assist new local entrepreneurs, they could allow growers to offer produce for sale once a week to their employees. Even Kroger and other grocers could adopt a policy of purchasing more food from local growers.
For poverty to decline in Memphis, support must come from government, business, nonprofits, and citizens. Everyone has a part to play, if we want a better Memphis.
This one idea won’t end poverty by itself, but it will create more entrepreneurs, put more people to work, and improve the quality of our food. Our children would be able to learn about and eat food grown in their neighborhoods.
If you’d like to get involved, Memphis Tilth (the former GrowMemphis and Urban Farms Memphis) is a good place to start to learn about urban agriculture. Visit memphistilth.org.
Memphis Tilth is building an urban farm and garden project with Alpha Omega Veterans Services (AOVS).
The nonprofit organization’s GrowMemphis Community Garden Program helps communities build gardens to improve access to locally grown food in their neighborhoods.
Memphis once was the cotton capital. We can lead again with different crops.
Williams D. Brack is a commercial banker, civic volunteer, and community activist. He can be reached at williamsbrack@gmail.com.