Project: Àgbẹ̀

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Àgbẹ̀ is a community based cooperative that empowers youth and returning citizens by creating spaces to find peace, purpose, and skill share through the science of growing, also known as horticulture. The program is designed to offer more than just agricultural training; it provides a pathway to personal restoration, environmental literacy, reconnection to land and industry opportunity for individuals often excluded from traditional land based professions.

Àgbẹ̀ works collaboratively with grassroots organizations, community elders, and land stewards to provide hands on learning experiences in permaculture, sustainable agriculture, and best practices grounded in African and African American agrarian traditions. Specifically, the program honors traditional African ecological worldview which emphasizes communal land care, biodiversity, and interdependence as well as the deep agricultural legacy of Black Southern farmers in the United States.

This approach is supported by a growing body of research that links access to green spaces and agricultural work with improved mental health, reduced recidivism, and stronger community ties for returning citizens and youth from marginalized backgrounds (see sources).

Through the Àgbẹ̀ project, participants don’t just learn how to grow, they learn how to heal, connect, and reclaim a relationship with the land that has been historically disrupted by colonization, incarceration, and industrial agriculture.

Àgbẹ̀ was inspired by Mr. Adewale of East London, a humanitarian from East London, whose life was marked by an unwavering commitment to compassion, fairness, and intellectual inquiry. Known for his inclusive worldview, Mr. Adewale engaged with others in a spirit of familial compassion and mutual respect. His personal interests reflected a deep appreciation for the communal aspects of life, particularly shared meals and rigorous conversations on politics and human behavior.

Of Yoruba heritage and raised in West Africa, Mr. Adewale bore the Oriki name Alabi, signifying his cultural and ancestral lineage. His life and values continue to serve as the guiding ethos of the Society, which seeks to uphold his legacy through initiatives rooted in justice, community, and thoughtful engagement with the human condition.

Oriki is a form of Yoruba expression, an oral praise poetry or a personal praise name that describes a person's virtuous qualities, destiny, or the circumstances of their birth. Derived from the Yoruba words orí (head) and kì (to praise), it acts as a "personal hype mantra," reminding people of who they are and where they come from, and it can be given to people, families, towns, and even deities. 

Get involved with the Àgbẹ̀ Project.

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