For the past week I’ve heard people debating the food crisis until they’re blue in the face. Increase the number of VAT-exempt food items, they said, issue food stamps, put a cap on food prices.
Not once did I hear anyone saying what I thought would be one of the most obvious (and sustainable) options: get people growing their own food.
But, happily, today I read an article on Iafrica that gives me hope. In short, according to the report, Western Cape premier Ebrahim Rasool has proposed the launch of a “food security campaign” with “concrete initiatives” that would include:
“…making state land at hospitals and schools available for community food garden schemes, setting up food co-operatives , distributing seed packs to vulnerable households, and increasing the school nutrition budget by R5-million.”
Hallelujah! Now, here’s hoping this gets off the drawing board, and out into the community. It’s about time.
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Britt on 
Yay! That is great news, and exactly what I wanted to hear
For the last couple of weeks I’ve been coming across a lot of articles about community allotment schemes. I’m glad to see that our Cape Town is leading the way with practical solutions.
Now I just need to move my butt and get my no-dig veggie garden in place….
There are some awesome stories about, both here and abroad.
One of my favourites is about an ‘Organic Vegetable Revolution’ going on right here in Cape Town – community food gardens, on previously unused patches of land all over the townships… organically grown. They grow to support the community, not for profits, and it’s all done in a sustainable way. What a success story!
Then there’s the urban farming project in Middlesbrough, UK, and another in the village of Martin, also in the UK. Again, disused urban spaces have been turned over to the community for the growing of vegetables and again it’s been a huge success.
And, most recently I read this article, about the growing urban agriculture movement in New York (of all places!) and the rest of the States.
Some really inspiring stuff out there!
I started my own little garden at the end of last year, and though I’m an amateur at it, I still managed to get some decent produce – and eating it is so satisfying. Now to get to the point where I can also give some away… that would be uber cool! Hadn’t considered the no-dig option… it looks rather interesting
I have started growing a few things, and have been very pleased with the results and the savings!
It’s amazing how much you can grow, if you just put your mind to it… Even having a few pots can yield great results (if you don’t have more space at hand). There is nothing quite as satisfying, in my opinion, as tasting the food you’ve seen grow from an itsy bitsy seed, into a full grown vegetable!
I totally agree. Something very zen about the entire process of growing it yourself from the earth – and then nourishing yourself with what you’ve grown. Shows the full cycle and is an amazing little slice of the larger life cycle.
Hi Fran. Yes, it’s so soothing isn’t it? I’ve just moved to a fairly small space, but even my little square metre of garden (and various pots wherever there’s enough sun) makes me feel so much more connected with the earth. And eating those lovingly grown vegetables and salads is out of this world…
I have been thinking of setting up small scale allotments of about 200 square metres for keen organic vegetable gardener. The general idea would be to provide electricity, water point, and an over night type shed with ablution facility to each allotment, common use of a small tractor to prepare the soil, assistance with organic farming procedures etc. The entire allotment area would be properly fenced off with security provided. I would appreciate it if a farmer in the Stellenbosch, Franschoek, Wellington or Paarl areas would consider leasing off a section of land for this enterprise or assist with setting up this concept
What a fabulous idea! I would love to have access to something like that… and if people grouped together, and took turns minding and monitoring, it could be quite productive (and rewarding)… I’ll write something about it asap – perhaps a few farmers read this blog