Urban farmer drives rooftop farm in Morningside
MORNINGSIDE – Zandle Kumalo hopes to encourage more farmers to believe in themselves and start making a change within the food chain in South Africa.
Young urban farmer Zandile Kumalo hopes to turn Sandton’s concrete jungle green through hydroponics farming.
The 29-year-old has partnered with Flanagan & Gerard to co-own a newly opened Neighbour Roots hydroponics farm on the rooftop of Morningside Shopping Centre.
Kumalo discovered her passion for farming at the young age of 20 during her university years when she was acquiring her National Diploma in Analytical Chemistry from the Vaal University of Technology. She began farming conventionally on a 2 000sqm space in her backyard in an effort to create awareness of zero hunger in her community.
On a journey to feed her curiosity and find better and more efficient solutions, she discovered hydroponics.
Hydroponics refers to a system whereby crops are grown in coco peat growing media other than soil. All of the nutrients are dissolved into the irrigation water and supplied to the plants at regular intervals.
According to Kumalo hydroponics farming is an excellent solution for the environment, saving on space and reducing water consumption by up to 80%.
“I chose to explore hydroponics because of the way in which it integrates technology. Hydroponics can assist youngsters who do not have land to farm in their backyards that is laid with pavement or concrete,” said Kumalo.
Through conventional farming, a mere 2sqm space can produce 16 lettuce crops but through hydroponics a farmer can produce 81 lettuce crops.
“There had to be a solution to some of the issues that conventional farmers were facing and that is hydroponics.”
Today, the Neighbour Roots farm supplies an array of fresh produce to the shopping centre’s restaurants as well as the public.
“The response has been phenomenal and it’s awesome to have them [the Morningside Shopping Centre restaurants] come on board and be part of this. To have big restaurants like Signature, Pomodoro Ristorante and The Green Peppercorn take a leap of faith with the fact that we can give them fresh vegetables is amazing.”
Kumalo hopes to encourage more farmers to believe in themselves and start making a change within the food chain in South Africa.
Details: neighbourroots@gmail.com
ALSO READ:
https://www.citizen.co.za/sandton-chronicle/little-mushroom-farm/
https://www.citizen.co.za/sandton-chronicle/bryanstons-rich-farming-heritage/
