A community garden growing more than just vegetables

Surprisingly, more than 14 million people in South Africa (approximately 35% of the population) are vulnerable to food insecurity. Of this number, rural communities are particularly susceptible as they account for 70% of the country’s poorest households.

The impact of malnutrition on a person can be severe and in the developing world, infant mortality and malnutrition are closely correlated.  Other consequences of malnutrition are delayed cognitive development; long-term damage to the intellectual and psychological development of infants and children; and impairment of immune functions.

Although poverty is often an indirect cause of malnutrition, the community food garden concept has the potential to alleviate some of the pressure faced by many South Africans as a result of food insecurity. As a community project, food gardens have shown some success in acting as a buffer against a food crisis and, in addition, when sufficient education around nutrition is provided, these food gardens can help to build communities and empower their members.

The space constraints in Soweto make it an unlikely place to encounter an  840m² vegetable garden. But this is exactly what you’ll find on grounds of the Sediba-Thuto Primary School in the Mapetla community in Soweto.

The land on which the garden was established was previously used as a rubbish dump. Together with local community members, Boikanyo transformed this piece of land into a thriving garden, which now provides for the nutritional needs of several child-headed households in the area and gives crucial nutrition to more than 200 children at the school.

In addition to providing much-needed additional nutrition for children in the area, the garden also provides work opportunities for some of the local unemployed gogos (the isiZulu word for grandmother).

Elizabeth is one such gogo who works in the garden helping her to provide for her four grandchildren. As a retired domestic worker with no current source of permanent  income, Elizabeth helps to grow the vegetables used to feed the children and then sells the excess, generating an income to support her family.

Although community vegetable gardens may not be an outright solution to curbing malnutrition among South Africans, they do have the potential to provide an important source of increased micronutrient intake. Furthermore, community vegetable gardens also have other important supplementary benefits such as:

• Education – food gardens have been shown to have a positive impact on the understanding and appreciation for good nutrition.
• Empowerment – particularly of women, who subsequently have greater control of food provision, and sometimes of income generation as well.
• For the establishment of social networks, to symbolise a sense of security and encourage community development.
• Psycho-social benefits – these include purposeful work, a positive experience of working with nature, and a reduction in social alienation and family disintegration.

Despite the challenges that accompany a poverty alleviation programme of this nature, Boikanyo has managed to develop a successful model that is enabling the community to ensure its own sustainable supply of fresh produce.

Click here to visit Bokanyo’s project page on Different.org.