Description:

Māra (meaning garden, or to cultivate in te reo Māori) is a mobile app that allows users to join local gardening networks in their street or wider neighbourhood, share homegrown kai, and connect with
like-minded “urban farmers”. This digital product aims to simultaneously address food security, community participation, sustainability, and nutrition.

Grounded in the values of Kaitiakitanga (guardianship) and Kotahitanga (unity and collaboration), Māra places biculturalism at its foundation. The rise of grassroots gardening projects across the motu is of growing relevance in response to the cost of living and climate change. Māra aims to serve as a digital infrastructure for these efforts, particularly for younger, urban audiences seeking connection and self-sufficiency.

The app offers a calm, accessible experience that supports both personal and community involvement. Onboarding is envisioned as an outside dimension, beyond the app itself, which is represented in its darker colours and simpler content, gently introducing users to the core idea of Māra before welcoming them in. The home screen features a community map and bulletin for events and posts, while brief learning modules support beginner gardeners. “My Māra” lets users track their growing and sharing, with an Impact Snapshot to encourage ongoing engagement. A leafy, organic aesthetic ties everything together, supported by a strong visual hierarchy and original illustrations.

Māra encourages people to grow and share food as a way to support wellbeing, reduce waste, and reconnect with the environment. Rooted in the values of te ao Māori, it helps normalise growing kai at home or with others, reducing reliance on packaged, processed food. By making it easy to track and share what you grow, Māra fosters stronger local connections and offers a simple, hands-on path toward sustainability. Whether you're a beginner or experienced gardener, it’s about building a community around fresh, homegrown food.