One million dollar fund for Māra Kai

Māori communities ‘really dig' mara kai, so the Māori Affairs Minister has alllocated another half million dollars to extend the scheme.


Māra Kai are non-commercial community gardens, which may be eligible for a start-up grant of $2,000 from Te Puni Kōkiri to buy tools, materials and equipment.


Since the scheme was launched in October 2009, 214 contracts have been let, from the Far North to the Bluff, including 32 projects in Te Tai Tokerau (Northland district) and 30 in Tākitimu (Hawkes Bay). Further applications were put on hold after the first $500,0000 was used up.


Dr Sharples says Māra Kai are a way of promoting self-sufficiency, well-being and good nutrition, as well as maintaining knowledge of gardening. The social aspect of community gardening helps strengthen local networks and makes communities more resilient.


"I'm thrilled that the Māra Kai fund has been over-subscribed. And I'm even more thrilled about the fact that we have been able to allocate another $500,000 to Māra Kai for 2010/11," said Dr Sharples.


The money will come from within Te Puni Kōkiri's baseline budgets.


Māra Kai is one of the projects supported by the Māori Economic Taskforce. Dr Sharples released a progress report on the Taskforce's work at a business breakfast meeting in Gisborne this week.