Kōia – mana kai, mana tangata (Gardening for well-being) is a holistic, gardening-based health initiative (building on the existing Green Prescription), which encourages participation in community gardening to boost physical, spiritual, emotional/mental, & family/social well-being, by embedding positive behaviour change.
Gardening, especially community gardening, is recognised as a significant means for improving health & well-being outcomes for our communities. Research indicates that for every $1 spent, up to $5 of health value is generated.
Medical Professionals refer patients to the Kōia service, which coordinates a program of community garden activities, to embed a regular gardening habit with those whose well-being can benefit the most from this, and they support the participant through this over a period of up to a year.
Kōia not only supports hauora of individuals & communities, but also, indirectly, supports existing & emerging māra kai thus benefits kai resilience, self-determination, the environment/te taiao, community & social cohesion, etc.
Te Ao Māori is an important perspective in this kaupapa, with kaupapa Māori hauora and māra kai organisations & groups participating in co-design.
This project is in its co-design & trial stage until mid-2024, & is now in operational roll-out. The longer-term ambition is to make this available across Aotearoa. This project was co-founded by Dr Yu-Ching Yu and Dr Kiyomi Kitagawa but is co-owned by all the active participants of the co-design process.
BAF is supporting the trial stage of the initiative as fundholder and through back-office support. We gratefully acknowledge funding from the Pinnacle Midlands Health Network, New Plymouth District Council, & in-kind support from CareFirst Westown, Sport Taranaki, & many others.
We acknowledge Ruakere Hond in gifting the name “Kōia” & logo design by Duane Luke.
To get involved (hauora, māra kai or other community group) in Taranaki or for more information, including contact email, Kōia updates, session times and locations, and gardening tips/tricks, visit the Kōia Facebook page.