Urban farming initiative takes root in Klipspruit

A group of three organisations dubbed the Urban Organic Farming Community (UOFC), introduced the Urban Farming Initiative (UFI) to the community during a community engagement on organic and sustainable urban farming at Klipspruit West Secondary School, on March 8.

The three organisations, along with the Ubuntu Community Development and Upliftment (UCDAU) from Ward 11, Go Green from Eldos, Siyoyisile Indlala Community Farm and Projects (SICFAP) from Protea Glen are taking a step towards sustainability and self-sufficiency.

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The UFI programme aims to educate residents on organic farming practices and provide them with the necessary skills to cultivate their food.

Frances Marsh, chairperson of UCDAU, said as a small area, Klipspruit West is a forgotten community. He cited that it is in Ward 11, which is part of Soweto.

She said they wanted the community to be aware that there is a project running at the school and support it in future.

“We want residents to benefit from this project. We want to go back to the roots of Ubuntu where we need to work together not in silos.”

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She said it encourages entrepreneurship and job creation through agro-processing and farming while promoting organic farming practices to ensure a stable food supply.

Most importantly, it helps to educate residents about backyard farming to provide skills for self-sustainability and create an economy.

SICFAP founder and project development manager Greg Mkhize has been running the programme at Faranani Primary School (FPS) for over four years at Ext 11, Protea Glen.

They partnered with FPS where they teach Grade Seven and Eight learners about the basic principles of organic farming using only nature, at the school premises.

Adult and elderly community members form part of the trainings, and university students also visit the school to do their practical.

According to Mkhize, the initiative began by chance when he met the founder and Ubuntu, a group that shares similar visions for community development and environmental sustainability.

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The partnership was formed to introduce organic farming practices to the community, using natural methods like rabbit poo and urine to create nutrient-rich soil.

He said their organisation is the only certified organic producer with a certified participatory guarantee system (PGS) and South African Organic Sector Organisation (SAOSO) in Soweto.

“We even certify other farmers to become certified organic by using PGS and SOASO. We have started PGS Soweto linked with SOASO to create these things on our own.”

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He noted that the initiative will provide healthy, organic produce to the community, extremely good for their well-being.

“It will create entrepreneurs and various employment opportunities, such as soil specialists, farming inspectors, administrators, marketers, farmers, and agro-processors.

Through this we are also promoting environmental sustainability and conservation by reducing reliance on synthetic fertilisers,” said Mkhize.

Elvis Preslin Media and PR practitioner, who became a member of Go Green after Rashid Juma, a magic artist managed by their company, fell ill and could not perform.

The artist management company assisted him in finding something to do close to his heart in Ext 8.

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He started cleaning a dumping site that was causing a health hazard.

This is shortly after his daughter died due to a lung infection.

Juma was encouraged to clean the area after a foreigner shared how they lost many people at their village due to polluted water that released dangerous gases.

Preslin said they lent a helping hand through their company Funding Communications.

In 2019 they founded Bauer World Empowerment Foundation (BWEF), which provided the first impetus to clean the space.

Today, the Go Green strip in Ext 8 has an artist walkway painted by local artists, a Khoi Heritage site portraying the story, a traditional herb garden and a community garden.

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Preslen said through the UOFC, communities can be empowered to start their gardens to grow their food.
“We want to show them how to do it and empower them to do that for themselves.”