Shoprite and Checkers opens doors for community gardens through Market Day

Emerging farmers from approximately 50 community food gardens across southern Africa will be participating in Market Day on May 16 at selected Shoprite and Checkers stores.

In the south, Checkers Southgate (Dithaka Dikopane Cooperative) and Checkers The Glen (Winnie Mabaso Foundation) will be participating on the day.

Sanjeev Raghubir, head of sustainability and CSI at the Shoprite Group, said: “We support small-scale farmers by equipping them to grow food through agricultural practices that make them more adaptive and resilient to climate change.

“Market Day also gives them the opportunity to generate alternative income by selling their fresh and organically grown produce directly to the public at our supermarkets, and gain valuable retail experience in the process.

“For the first time since its launch in 2017, some of the community food gardens that we support in Botswana and Namibia will also bring their produce to market.”

Hunger relief and food security are at the core of the Group’s Act For Change programme through which it supports more than 230 food gardens and 4 000 home gardens – covering over 4.5 million square metres – indirectly impacting approximately 60 000 beneficiaries.

To support these small local farmers, visit Market Day.