Agriculture used to alleviate poverty among locals

Food security has become one of the major things that South African communities are taking serious. Because of the unstableness of the economy, communities like Eldorado Park started a garden in February.

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They saw agriculture as a tool to alleviate poverty while instilling the knowledge of agricultural to their youth. The Greater Eldorado Park Youth Innovation Hub (GEPYIH) started the gardening project as a positive response in educating young people about agriculture as well as keeping families fed.

Boitumelo Mashiane, a garden landscaper says, “Unemployment and food sustainability are a major problem in South African households.

“We bring this project to teach young people how to farm so that they can be able to have something to support their families with.”

According to Phyllis Vilakazi chairperson of the GEPYIH, most young people perceive farming as something made for old people who want to keep themselves active. However, they do not realise the importance using something that is disrespected and make a living out of it.

“This is not only for old people or the dirty. There is a need for financial literacy that people need to know about and gardening is one of the factors that will assist them to generate income and also sustain themselves,” said Vilakazi.

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Agriculture can support inclusive growth and become a major contributor to poverty alleviation by generating low-skilled jobs needed to address unemployment. It also provides township communities with increased opportunities to participate in the overall economy.

“We are trying to go commercial but for now we are basically doing this for our community.

“Sometimes we have funerals and we can always donate some vegetables to assist families,” said Jacques Fortein, one of the leaders that takes care of the garden.

They have been operating for about three months and although the planting season is ending, they have done more for their community.

It is all farmers’ dreams to eat the fruit of their own labour.

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