Urban Farming to Grow Social Change

How to Grow Figs. Live online class. June 23, 2025. Find out more.
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Toronto urban farmers Jessy Njau and Misha Shodjaee join us to talk about their journey into growing food and using food and farming as a tool for social change. Their farm, Zawadi Farm, began on land provided by a local garden centre.

They now farm Njau’s yard, other yards in their neighbourhood, as well as space at Toronto’s Downsview Park, which has land dedicated to urban agriculture.

Njau explains that he was deeply inspired by Vancouver urban farmer Michael Abelman, who uses urban farming as a way to build community and effect social change. Success for Shodjaee and Njau is growing an interest in food production—not growing the amount of space they cultivate.

“We want to be able to grow farmers.”

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