A successful socioeconomic experience!
HortaFCUL, as a project that seeks and experiments with solutions to current socioeconomic problems, has been incorporating the Gift Economy into its practices.
The Gift Economy is an alternative economic model to the current market economy. Simply put, in this type of exchange, the burden of responsibility for the value (€) of the item or service acquired falls on the buyer, who assesses what they consider fair to pay and their financial availability, generating a climate of total trust between those who provide and those who acquire the items. Could this alternative economic paradigm be implemented at FCUL? Do we possess the necessary "minimum" level of awareness and ethics?
This new economic paradigm is in line with the permaculture ethics that underpin the HortaFCUL group and has been tested from the outset in the group's various initiatives, in different forms. For example, typically, course and workshop registrations are made through payments with optional amounts within a given range, or through other forms of non-monetary compensation, thus contributing to greater integration and social justice. In other words, given that not everyone has the same economic means, this way the cost ceases to be a barrier to participation.
The most interesting experience is
the Banca da Dádiva (Gift Stall)!
This stall, located in front of the Central Library,
collects surplus produce from the garden and
invites the FCUL community to take
some plants with them in exchange
for the amount each person assigns.
Despite initial skepticism, this tent was first installed experimentally in 2013, and the plants are left available to the public without control or supervision from those involved in the project. This proved to be a very interesting experiment and one that will be repeated due to the strong community response.
In 2014, the HortaFCUL Nursery was created where, taking advantage of the unique characteristic of cellular totipotency in species of the plant, fungal, and algal kingdoms (allowing any specialized cell to return to its undifferentiated stage and re-specialize), we promoted vegetative reproduction resulting from a process that begins with pruning plants in the garden and subsequent rooting in the nursery. This nursery allowed us to maintain a large number of plants, creating many surpluses. In other words, the plants at Banca da Dádiva are clones from HortaFCUL that came directly from our nursery!
Thus, in October 2015, the Banca da Dádiva reappeared, this time stronger and with a more permanent character, contributing to closing cycles, with the income obtained being reinvested in the project, proving its success once again.
In this new phase of the stall, there has been enormous participation from the FCUL community, and the available plants have been replenished weekly. To understand the success of this initiative, and so that its results can be shared with the community involved, we decided to record the number and variety of plants made available, as well as the monetary value received in exchange.
For four weeks at the end of 2015, 52 plants of 14 different species were placed on this stall. In return, HortaFCUL received €64.51, which represents an average of €1.24 per plant. Since it's impossible to know the exact value assigned to each plant, it's interesting to note that the price is close to what is charged at many fairs and events where HortaFCUL is present.
With this paradigm shift, the aim is to demonstrate that it is possible to operate differently at the economic level, creating a fairer system based on trust between the actors. To date, there has never been any act of vandalism or theft, and the plants "run out" after a few days (sometimes hours).
HortaFCUL would like to
thank everyone who has contributed
to the success of this initiative,
not only through the purchase of plants
but also through the feedback we have received
and which we intend to incorporate.