The Highlight of 2023 – Noah’s Ark event
Biodiversity is an essential component of ecological stability and resilience, playing a crucial role in sustaining ecosystem services that support human well-being. The „Noah’s Ark Event Užice,“ was held for the first time in close cooperation between Motika and Užice local community. It served as a platform for raising awareness about the importance of conserving biodiversity within the region. This event brought together scientists, policymakers, environmental activists, and local communities to discuss pressing issues related to soil conservation, habitat protection, and sustainable development practices. By fostering dialogue and collaboration among diverse stakeholders, the event aimed to enhance public understanding of biodiversity’s critical role in maintaining ecological balance.
The Event served not only as an informational hub but also as a call to action for preserving Serbia’s (and in particular regional) unique ecosystems.
More about the event, and for Serbian speakers click here.
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25 December 2022 – an update
This year has been extraordinary. I wrote about how I established a local seed bank, studied the ins and outs of sustainable agriculture, and planted an organic vegetable garden using native or heirloom seeds. I’ve been able to share my collected seeds with ten additional interested families this year through this nonprofit initiative, and in January, twenty more will follow. Next year, I hope they develop, thrive, proliferate, and share the seeds with the others.
I raised tomatoes, cucumbers, chard, tiny carrots, potatoes, onions, pumpkins, and three different kinds of beans this year. I also planted some paprika. The majority of plants produced gorgeous growth and brought delight and happiness all year long. The experiences, both good and bad, of this project are chronicled at www.motika.rs.
In my „previous life,“ I was talking about change management; in this, I have demonstrated the best of it.
It is my plan to tell you more about true change management shortly, what it means, and how I experienced it firsthand. But for now, and for the Serbian speakers, you can look back at my 2022 via blogs.
I wish you Happy holidays and the best in 2023!
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If you are thinking of a 2022 charity project and would like to donate to a cause that is ecological, supports the local community, and helps take care of current world issues, think of this project.
We have started an eco-friendly, agricultural, non-profit initiative in the west of Serbia, in a mountainous region 200 km down south from Belgrade. We have a plot of land that has not been worked on since the 1980s. With the help of our immediate neighbors, a couple in their 50s, we have planted some native, old varieties of vegetables and grains and have formed a sizable family garden.
The land, the project, and the website are called Motika.
In order to empower farmers in the region, support sustainable agriculture, and improve the local community, on the website we have offered a few ways for people to join in, donate, or come and visit.
When we started with the project in January, we had no idea how relevant this topic would be so soon after. The threat of food shortages and difficult logistics is becoming our reality.
You can adopt a crop or plant a fruit tree too. If you are interested in donating to the local Serbian agriculture scene, contact me. If you are an expert in agriculture, spend the summer with us and show us your skills. Come visit us even if you are not.
Instagram profile can be followed via: https://www.instagram.com/motika.rs/
