Walkerville cooperative benefits from Market Day
Modondo recommended that people eat vegetables, as they contribute to living longer.
Dithaka Dikopane Cooperative from Walkerville, headed by Peter Madondo, had an opportunity to sell their fresh produce directly to the public at Checkers in Southgate Mall on March 10.
This is an initiative by Shoprite and Checkers where during Market Day, they empower community gardeners to sell their crops nationwide.
Madondo said he started his garden in 2013 and employed four more people.
“I found a space in Walkerville, which was a dumping site, and converted it into a garden. With its progress, I invited other people to work with me, and we’ve been working since,” he said.
Asked by the COURIER whether his garden is profitable and how he got in contact with Checkers, he said, “We can make ends meet. Shoprite came to my garden and liked what I was doing. They then said they will facilitate that I go to Checkers and sell my fresh produce,” he said.
Modondo recommended people eat vegetables, as they contribute to living longer. He also said even if you don’t have a garden, you can make one using car tyres and fertile soil.
“Today, we are selling spring onion, green pepper, coriander, cabbage and butternut,” he said.
Judy Maluleka, CSI manager for the Shoprite Group, said, “We introduced Market Day in 2017 to extend our support of the many community food gardens Shoprite and Checkers partners with. It provides the gardens with a platform to sell their fresh produce and promote themselves to a wider customer base. Garden members gain invaluable skills about operating in a formal retail environment and creates additional income-earning opportunities.”
Twenty-four food gardens participated in Market Day, selling fresh and organic produce.
Agricultural and Dropping Off Centre was also at Checkers Bracken Gardens.
Shoprite Group’s corporate social investment programmes
Hunger relief is at the core of the Shoprite Group’s corporate social investment programmes. Through its Act For Change programme, the group supports more than 160 community food gardens and over 2 500 home gardens, which impacts almost 17 000 beneficiaries.
In the past year, more than 570 community members were trained in sustainable food gardening, assisting them to generate an income while growing nutritious and organic food.
The Shoprite Group’s support for the community food gardens includes an 18-month agricultural training and mentorship programme for community members, and the supply of seeds, seedlings, gardening implements, water-supply infrastructure and shade-netting.
