Saving the world one apple at a time

Saving the world one apple at a time

NZ Population Health Congress media release, 6 October 2014

A community development project has seen hundreds of thousands of heritage fruit trees and vegetable seeds planted around New Zealand, drawing communities together and increasing their access to more nutritious food, the NZ Population Health Congress heard in Auckland today.

Sharon Duff, from the Whanganui Regional Health Network (WRHN), said the project began in 2004 when a unique Monty’s Surprise apple tree was discovered in the Whanganui Region by the Central Tree Crops Research Trust. The apples were found to be significantly more nutritious than any other commercially available varieties.

“One of the things we need to do is improve the quality of the food available to our communities. Having access to lots of food is good, but the food needs to be nutritious too,” Ms Duff said.

Central Tree Crops Research Trust teamed up with the WRHN to develop a plan to distribute the Monty’s Surprise apple trees to the community. They began giving out trees and other heritage vegetable seeds within the region, encouraging people to start their own gardens. Today many communities within the region have their own community gardens and access to nutritious food has greatly improved.

Since 2004 the project has grown in leaps and bounds, and all project partners have distributed more than 12,000 Monty’s Surprise trees.

“We’ve also begun distributing heritage tomato plants, other heritage fruit trees, been seeds and other vegetables. Neighbourhoods have got behind the project 100 percent, and even made requests for more vegetables, including kumera, Maori potatoes, branching broccoli, Maori corn, and a whole lot more.

“The great thing about the project is that the communities manage the whole process. They decide what to plant, and where the produce goes. It may go to local whanau, school, kura, kohanga reo or trigger an idea for a microindustry.

“Changing a community’s attitude to eat more fruit and vegetables happens slowly… like turning an ocean liner. But what we’ve seen is that communities are coming together around the gardens, eating healthier, developing relationships and setting up businesses. All of these components positively address a number of determinants of health, both individually and as communities.

“Furthermore, every school in the Whanganui region now has its own food forest and vegetable garden, meaning the knowledge and experience is being shared with the next generation. This will help ensure generations to follow will also have access to healthy and nutritious food.”

ENDS

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