Klipspruit West launches first urban organic vegetable market
The Urban Organic Farming Community (UOFC) celebrated its first Market Day at Klipspruit West Secondary School, offering fresh organic produce and promoting township entrepreneurship through sustainable farming.
Urban Organic Farming Community (UOFC) hosted its Vegetable Market Day, offering its initial harvest of organic veggies to the community at Klipspruit West Secondary School, on June 21.
The people were impressed with the quality of the vegetables they had seen being planted, such as beetroot, spinach, garlic, spring onions, and carrots.
They sampled the homemade Ubuntu spinach steamed bread with dhania, coriander, and garlic all-purpose sauce.
ALSO READ: NPO launches communityvegetable garden in Ndofaya
UCDAU chairperson Frances Marsh explained that they donated the harvested produce to show the community that their efforts do not end there.
The next strategy is to process the harvested crops into food products for consumption or sale.
Another UCDAU member, Shaen Smith, who had prepared the beetroot juice, explained its benefits. The juice helps raise blood pressure in people who suffer from low levels.
The president and founder of Bheki Twala Township Economic Development said that the township economy is not a secondary business; it is the pillar of our society.
ALSO READ: Five tips to get your spring vegetable garden off the ground
“Our mission is clear: to grow, develop, and protect the township economy through local production for local consumption.
“Through initiatives like the Farm to Spaza project, we are bridging the gap between black farmers and markets, cutting out the middlemen who have excluded them for centuries.”
Twala clarified that the township economy could no longer be described as an informal or secondary sector, as it plays a significant economic role.
“We must be the players, not the spectators. We must trade with one another, assist our women farmers, and use the land and rain we are blessed with.
“Essentially, it is about feeding our people, getting our people to work, and building a self-sustaining economy from the grassroots.”
ALSO READ: Five tips to planting your own vegetable garden this spring
Others became familiar with the organisation’s purpose when they witnessed its first project – the unveiling of the Urban Farming Initiative on March 8.
Residents could buy a box of mixed vegetables for R10, supporting the organisation’s goal of providing affordable, organic produce.
It also offers healthier alternatives to genetically modified foods that flood the market due to mass production.
Call Marsh on 064 376 2295 for more details.
