Aywa x Tosco: Planting Community Gardens In The Wild
At Aywa Forest Farm, our mission is rooted in regeneration—for the people, the planet, and the future.
Recently, we had the honour of bringing this mission to life in new locations, through a beautiful collaboration with TOSCO (Tourism Supporting Conservation), a Namibian organisation that connects tourism with environmental and community well-being.
Together, we visited three remote communities who had reached out to TOSCO for support. These communities are living in wild desert and savannah landscapes where they face extreme harsh climates, deep poverty, rising food prices, and growing food insecurity. Yet, they are rich in resilience, community spirit, and hope for a better future.
—🌱Planting Seeds of Self-Sufficiency
Each of the communities have access to land, water, and sunshine—the basic ingredients for growing food. What they lacked was the know-how, and that’s where we stepped in.
In every village, we hosted a hands-on workshop on Agroforestry—a style of farming that works with nature, not against it. We introduced the communities to small-scale systems designed to mimic natural ecosystems, using no chemical fertilisers or pesticides. Instead, we focused on low-cost, regenerative practices that rely on organic materials already available in their environment.
Agroforestry is a regenerative system that restores soil, retains water, increases biodiversity, and produces abundant food—all while protecting the environment. It’s a cost-effective, sustainable solution that can empower these communities to become self-sufficient, even in harsh climates.
Community Garden #1: Herero Village in the Kunene Region
—Planting Together, Growing Together
Once the trainings were complete, we were all excited to get our hands into the soil—so that’s exactly what we did. Alongside our volunteers and the local people, we planted the first gardens by hand, full of fruit trees and supporting trees from our Aywa Nursery. These gardens represent much more than food—they are living systems that will soon feed families and offer new streams of income—a pathway to self-sufficieny.
From fresh vegetables to medicinal plants and multi-purpose trees, these gardens have the potential to generate income through selling produce, making natural products, and even small-scale agri-tourism initiatives.
The most exciting part about our collaboration is that this is just the beginning. These communities now have the knowledge and tools to continue growing and expanding their food systems—supported by nature, not reliant on expensive inputs.
At Aywa Forest Farm, we believe that regeneration starts small, but grows strong—and that it thrives when we come together in partnership.
We are deeply grateful to TOSCO for their trust and for walking this path with us. And to the communities we met—thank you for your openness, your strength, and your commitment to growth.