From garden to plate is the motto of these youths

Six passionate youths from Marlboro are aiming to be living testimony to their counterparts in Alexandra by encouraging them to consider taking up agriculture as a sustainable means of earning a livelihood.

After establishing the Leano Agri-Food Garden in their community, they now aim to attract the attention of Alex youths so that small things like tomatoes, spring onion, spinach, carrots, beetroot, cabbage and other forms of vegetables can be grown from garden to plate.

ALSO READ: Meadow style gardens are making a comeback

Nomsa Ncube (35), the spokesperson for the co-op, said they experienced hardships bringing the co-op from concept to life until Shoprite came on board. “Staring out was extremely hard. We took lessons over weekends and spent our own money on seedlings, hose pipes, and other equipment.

The land we were given had been a dumping site, so we started from scratch. But luckily Shoprite came on board at the end of last year, and it has been a breeze ever since. They’ve helped set us up in so many ways,” Ncube said.

ALSO READ: Alex High matriculants receive warm wishes from kindergarden

She said the drip irrigation system that Shoprite provided has been of massive help as they had been watering by hand before. The retailer also supplied the young farmers with gardening equipment and a container to store their tools safely.

Shoprite’s support includes 18 months of hands-on permaculture training, which the co-op members found most beneficial. The knowledge and skills gained are now being shared with the broader community including primary school learners, teenagers and the elderly.

ALSO READ: Time to plan your summer veggie garden

“We hope to cultivate a love for farming, while creating opportunities for self-sustainability,” Ncube said. While Leano Agri-Food Garden’s business has grown significantly in the past year, Ncube and her partners – Nonhle Manzini, Sibusiso Tongeni, Tebogo Molapo, Wilson Mothiba and Phumudzo Mugeri – are confident that it can develop even further.

They currently grow Swiss chard, mustard spinach, rapeseed, kale and spring onion as these crops are most in demand by the community and street vendors that buy from them. Hunger relief and food security are at the core of the Shoprite Group’s corporate social investment programmes.

ALSO READ: Get into the garden for a health boost

The group currently supports more than 175 community food gardens and over 3 400 home gardens, which impacts almost 53 000 beneficiaries. In the past year, more than 2 700 community members were trained in sustainable food gardening, assisting them to grow nutritious and organic food.

“Shoprite is committed to creating and supporting sustainable livelihood opportunities. By supporting community food gardens, we empower community members to sustain themselves and their families by creating independence through transferring skills,” said Shoprite Group sustainability manager Sanjeev Raghubi.

ALSO READ: How to maintain your garden for a great summer