Akachi Farms

“Food is health.  Health is happiness.  Happiness is strong community.”  “We’ve gone so far away from nature, but nature is medicine”. These are powerful words Buchi Onakufe (owner of Akachi Farms) expressed to me when I recently visited her organic farm. Her farm is a self-sustained agricultural business.  They grow organic crops for the community and its surroundings.

Agriculture has many curriculum connections related to Outdoor Learning.  For example, here are some connections to the Ontario Curriculum:

 

Grade 2 Science: Growth and Changes in Animals

  • Identify constant traits and changing traits in animals as they grow, and compare the appearance of young and mature animals of the same species
  • Describe changes in the appearance and activity of an animal as it goes through a complete lifecycle
  • Ask questions about and identify some needs of different animals with which they are familiar, and explore possible answers to these questions and ways of meeting those needs
  • Demonstrate awareness of ways of caring for animals properly

In Alberta, THIS site lists many agricultural curriculum connections.

Buchi moved to Canada (from Nigeria) in the early 2000s.  She began farming in 2012 and currently leases her farmland from the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. Her farm has a greenhouse with many organically-grown crops, and several animals such as sheep, goats, chickens, turkeys, ducks and rabbits.

 

One thing that stood out to me when I spoke with Buchi is when she told me she is one of only two Black women farmers in the entire Greater Toronto Area.  In her experience, there isn’t very much diversity in the farming industry here in Canada.  She would love to help make it more diverse.  One such way is by possibly mentoring youth (focusing on BIPOC) and encouraging them to learn more about the industry.  In her home country of Nigeria, and many other countries, BIPOC are proficient farmers with a strong connection to the land.  Buchi would love to see this happen over here in Canada.

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~Nevella Schepmyer-Venton, O.C.T. (she/her)

 

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