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Sustainability is the way of the future.
This practice is embraced by urban dwelling Ngati Whatua families
reviving the tradition of planting food gardens
for the benefit of future generations to come.
The land is buzzing in the Auckland suburb of Orakei,
thanks to a programme called Kainga Ora.
Today we're planting a garden
behind this house.
It's mine and my father's home.
Kainga Ora came and we talked about what we wanted as a family,
which was a family garden.
They told us they could help.
And if we wanted to know how to feed
our native birds they could show us the right way to do that.
Kainga Ora donates $100 per home,
which includes garden resources and lessons so each home
is well equipped to tackle the job.
It's great for our land and the flowers.
We don't use spray,
which is good for the bumble bees.
If the plants are healthy, then the people will be healthy.
Families have forgotten how easy it is to grow food.
Kainga Ora aims to have 100 home gardens
in the space of two years,
and to help families maintain their own crops
so that they flourish.
One of the benefits I've seen amongst our community
is the sheer joy of learning how to create their own garden,
in their own backyards.
With the Kainga Ora programme,
I hope it starts off here in Orakei
and takes off around the world in coming years.
It's great to see the kids and the relations working together,
doing what our ancestors did back in the day
and being independent.