“The antiquated agricultural supply chain has exacerbated already-entrenched racial, economic and geographic inequities and created a vulnerability that many cities cannot sustain in the long run.”
For Jamiah Hargins, access to fresh food is closely connected to justice and economic opportunity, just as it is health.
The founder of Crop Swap LA grew up as a self-described “military brat,” living on Air Force bases between the U.S. and Europe. He worked as a stock and options trader in Chicago, where he also participated in a community garden. He then moved to Brazil to manage a social enterprise that leveraged rural agriculture and urban business to sustain an orphanage. Energized by the experience, and seeing first-hand what creative, mission-driven businesses can accomplish, he returned to the U.S. to study public policy at Columbia University and identify opportunities for impact.
Along the way, he worked as an executive headhunter in the education field—a position that he says became excellent training for his work at building and managing Crop Swap LA. The organization installs water-recycling front yard garden systems that hyperlocally distribute organic vegetables to CSA subscribers while hiring locals to manage it. It is all part of a comprehensive effort to bring microfarms to communities without easy access to good food.
Organization
Crop Swap LA, Los Angeles, CA
Area of Focus
Urban Farming
Fellowship Project
Expand model for hyper-local microfarms to produce nutrient dense food in underserved communities and create green jobs.