JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A grassroots organization called Urban GeoPonics is working to eliminate food deserts by providing safe spaces for communities to grow and learn about food.
CEO of Urban GeoPonics Diallo Sekou said his grassroots organization is unique by using a fusion of art and agriculture to grow and uplift humanity.
"Food deserts are areas that don't have access to fresh food and groceries. If you have to walk 15 or 20 minutes to a supermarket, then that's a food desert,” Sekou said. “In Jacksonville, the 32209 area is the biggest food desert."
Sekou said he has collaborated with other nonprofit organizations to hold an after school program called Learn and Earn, which provides a safe space for children to learn about healthy foods, how to grow the food and eventually earn money as an incentive to being consistent.
WATCH: Urban GeoPonics CEO interview
"I teach them agriculture. They get to learn agriculture, agribusiness," Sekou said. "Once you learn how to grow something, you'll never starve. So they are literally empowered and able to run their own business, their own farm."
These same students will then teach elementary students what they have learned. Sekou said he also gives the crops to people in the community.
"What we have is cabbage, collard greens, dinosaur kale,” Sekou said. “Start with a small area and that way we can measure our results and have a real impact in that one small area."
Sekou has collaborated with the Jaguars and had a trailer full of food handed out to people in the New Town area -- enough for 500 families.
Sekou encourages people to tell what they know.
"We want to eliminate the fact that we have to have food deserts, and I'd be happy to do that if we have more grocery stores in here,” Sekou said. “Get the community involved on how to grow certain foods and eat certain foods."
Click here to learn more about Urban GeoPonics