Covid-19 and lockdown brought the world and SA’s food vulnerabilities sharply into focus but also revealed opportunities for emerging farmers to enter the market and create opportunities and solve the most pressing problems facing the industry.
Local farmer, Megan Wilson is the founder and director of Truth Black Agrihouse and a consultant in sustainable food systems planning.
She addressed what a resilient food system could look like for the local economy if we interlocked our collective focus on emerging youth farmers in urban and rural communities.
Truth Black has identified the core principles needed to start creating a more efficient food system for low-income households and local small-scale farmers.
ALSO READ: Fresh Produce Co-op at Glen Austin Farmer’s Market
“A few years ago I began developing an interest in agriculture and farming. Inspired by my experiences as a scout in primary school. I began my research on the value chain of food supply in our townships,” said the Wilson (26).
The focus was to better understand the strengths and opportunities in the local food supply, to identify the government’s priorities for future resilience and to form an action plan on how a partnership between the government and Truth Black could reshape the city’s food systems.
“At the time I was invested in poultry farming, building greenhouses, and in youth agriculture training programmes. I never imagined that within a few weeks of resigning from corporate life, all these concepts would be at the fore of my daily experience.”
Wilson explained that when it comes to food, black communities are all part of and reliant on a highly ‘complex system’ — dependent on the health of the soil, and all the people and processes that get the food onto our plates – for their own nutrition, health, and survival.
In providing solutions, Truth Black aims to build more regional-supply networks, increase interest in developing cooking skills through lifestyle events and workshops, and improve the collective food awareness of young black South Africans.
“Numerous smaller-scale food producers need alternatives to supermarkets in order to get their products to consumers and thrive as businesses. Diversity brings mutual benefits and offers solutions for township enterprise development,” she said.
On October 29, Truth Black Agrihouse will be hosting a farmer’s workshop at Culinary Passions School of Hospitality in Midrand. The workshop covers crop production, practical demonstrations on soil preparations and, among other things, making your own seedlings.
Details: To register to attend the workshop locals can email trvthblvck2015@gmail.com or WhatsApp Megan Wilson on 074 749 9296.
