El Caminito is a local community gardening project located within the port city of Málaga on Southern Spain’s Costa Del Sol. The community garden is located 20 minutes’ walk from the city centre of Málaga. It is under the ownership of the Municipality, however, it is managed by the El Caminito association, a local not-for-profit organisation.
The site is sensitively managed using ecological (regenerative) agriculture principles and through a process of continuous dialogue and consensus decision making amongst the members. A key aspiration of the project is to increase environmental awareness and to encourage greater day to day involvement of the local community with nature. However, the group are interested in a wide range of diverse themes relating to sustainable living. These include, for example, food and energy sovereignty, permaculture and composting programmes.
Members of the community garden project are also concerned and involved with wider urban planning and development topics, including inputting into local policy development. Important topics of interest include the rehabilitation and public use of vacant and derelict urban spaces and the involvement of citizens, through increasing levels of citizen engagement in greenspace and urban development initiatives.
The project started in 2012, when a group of active citizens belonging to the “15M” movement started to cultivate an abandoned plot of land. At that time, the Municipality were promoting a related concept called the Proteja Plan. Through this initiative, the authorities were able to grant permission for the group to manage the space, as well as being able to help by providing some basic start up facilities for the project.
Since its inception, the role of El Caminito has diversified further. It is now not only an urban garden but also provides an important welcoming social space to anyone from the area who wants to participate. Many diverse activities, including open days, workshops and arts events, are organised on the site. As with all aspects of the project, key responsibilities and decision making, are shared equally by members of the group.
The group also collaborates with a diverse range of education providers, ranging from local schools to universities. Help and advice is also offered to others who might be considering setting up and establishing a community gardening initiative of their own. This includes aspects such as selection of sites and legal, practical and administrative considerations.
On a more practical level the group use their website to promote knowledge of everyday urban agriculture, including basic plant care and gardening techniques. Creative Ideas for use of garden produce are also shared through showcasing a selection of straightforward vegetarian recipes to the wider public.
HERE YOU CAN FIND PHOTO GALLERY OF THE ACTIVITIES
https://www.flickr.com/photos/98090516@N02/albums/with/72157650813212168