Learn about New Roots near you
From San Diego to the South Bronx, the International Rescue Committee’s New Roots program is enabling refugee farmers to revitalize urban spaces, share their homegrown crops at neighborhood farmers markets and rebuild local food systems. Engage with your local IRC office »
In the South Bronx, refugees from Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cameroon and elsewhere are revitalizing the local community by growing their own fruits and vegetables and promoting healthy eating.
The IRC has joined with New York's Dept. of Transportation to transform a former vacant lot into an urban farm that can accommodate 100 gardeners and dozens of raised vegetable beds.
In a city known for supporting locally grown food, the IRC has partnered with other organizations to give refugees access to garden plots, training and other New Roots-related resources.
Improving access to healthy and affordable foods for refugees and their families, as well as other low-income city residents, has been a key focus of New Roots in Seattle.
New Roots farmers are tending many of the same crops they grew in their home countries. Roselle and white African eggplant, for example, were previously unavailable locally.
In Salt Lake City and other New Roots cities, IRC nutrition experts offer newly arrived refugees one-on-one instruction in healthy eating and how to shop in American supermarkets.
Here, Uzakboy Djuraev, a farmer from Uzbekistan, tends his New Roots plot. New Roots farmers in Phoenix have established 34 agricultural businesses with assistance from the IRC.
The IRC provides technical assistance and other support to help farmers like Koffi Ogou, a refugee from Togo (pictured here), sell their produce through farmers markets and other outlets.
Joseph, a refugee from Liberia (right), tells IRC Voice Rashida Jones what he's growing at the New Roots community farm. The farm enables refugees to grow crops that are familiar to them.
In the City Heights neighborhood, the IRC has helped establish a New Roots community farm, a farmers market (pictured here), two school gardens and an aquaponic greenhouse.
The IRC works in close partnership with Global Gardens, a program of the Idaho Office for Refugees, to give refugee farmers like Puspa Lal Regmi (pictured here), access to garden plots.
The IRC has helped refugee farmers find employment in dairy farms, fruit orchards and other agricultural businesses. Some refugees have put themselves through college on their wages.
Meet the New Roots farmers
Good things are growing in New York City. Follow Ah Lun, a refugee from Myanmar, and others as they put down new roots at two IRC-run community gardens and adjust to life in the United States. Check back each week for a new episode of this web series.
The latest from the New Roots gardens
April 10, 2013
March 21, 2013
February 14, 2013
January 18, 2013
January 7, 2013
December 31, 2012