Protea Glen Extension 12 residents have turned an illegal dumping site into a thriving organic farm.
The Grootboom Tuin Farm was founded in February by residents Thapelo Molope, Thokozani Nsele, and Gabriel Mahasha in an attempt to get rid of an illegal dumping site, improve food security and emphasise the importance of agriculture.
Molope told Urban News that the farm is attempting to address the food security crisis by developing an environmentally friendly system that will allow them to grow fruits and vegetables for the community.
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“We decided that rather than allowing the place to be a dumping site and a home for rats and other unnecessary things, why not make it an eco-friendly place whereby we grow fruits and vegetables for the community.
“The high unemployment rate and improper use of open spaces are what made us see the need to establish the Grootboom Tuin Farm,” said Molope.
He added that agriculture is a rapidly expanding industry not just in South Africa but globally as well.
He believes that increased support for digitising farming and increasing farming literacy would be beneficial for the entire country as well as small communities.
“In the long run, we hope to turn a profit because this is a growing enterprise.
“But for now, our task is to create a space where young people can come and learn about agriculture so that they have something to do.
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“We also want to help young people understand and modify their stereotypes about what agriculture is,” he said.
According to Molope, it would be fantastic if the current minister of Agriculture could visit Soweto and see first-hand the shortcomings in the agricultural education system as well as the youth’s openness to altering their views on the sector.
He believes that by doing this, the local economy can be strengthened and more opportunities can be created for locals.
19-year-old Lindokuhle Ngwane, a resident of Protea Glen who participates in the Grootboom Tuin Farm said, “The organic farm is a great aid to me, particularly because I took a year off after high school. This initiative gives me something constructive to do, which is very beneficial.”
