Stronger urban communities through food and farming
We support collaborative urban food gardens, social farms, agri-food hubs and markets to build socially, ecologically and economically resilient communities in cities.
Food Dialogues 2020 engaged with themes of crisis, politics, economics, culture and health with special focus on the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact it has had and will have on Cape Town’s food system. 28 speakers and 892 participants engaged in 16 hours of dialogue, reaching an audience of 79,915 from 60 countries. All 51 talks and discussions are archived for viewing and the Food Dialogues Report, launched on World Food Day, is available for free download.
Selected Projects
Oranjezicht City Farm and Market Day
Established in 2012, this well-known community food garden on a heritage site on the slopes of Table Mountain is a site for education and innovation. It also gave rise to the city’s leading farmer’s market, supporting over 40 local smallholder farms and 60 artisanal food traders. [more…]
Environmental Entrepreneur Support Initiative
We mentor young leaders of exceptional ability who are already realising outcomes that advance environmental sustainability through work in the food system. EESI is funded by the Global Risk Governance Programme at the University of Cape Town. [more…]
Design Principles for Impactful Urban Farms
Derived from research and experience, our set of 15 principles help inform social agriculture projects in any urban context to strengthen their beneficial impacts within their community, while providing a way to link and build solidarity with other farms across time, space, geography and culture. [more…]
Langa Community Agri/Food Hub
Linking existing urban farmers and supporting their work with infrastructure and services will build community-scale resilience to shocks and stresses that worsen food and nutrition insecurity. This pilot in Langa will bring capital investment, operational mentorship and network facilitation, working in partnership with a local non-profit foundation. [more…]
“Seeding good trouble…”
The SA Urban Food & Farming Trust was profiled in the 2020 Innovation Report, published by the International Civil Society Centre. The Report collects and shares the most “inspiring and interesting” examples of promising innovations that can be applied to tackle common contemporary challenges. Read the case study and listen to the podcast interview.
Perspectives
“During COVID farmers couldn’t get to their markets, to their fields. Being able to draw on [the Trust’s] urban farming networks to sensitize us to what was really happening out there made a really big difference. We found ways in the City of doing things differently.”
Tamsin Faragher, Principle Resilience Officer, City of Cape Town
“The collaboration between so many different stakeholders makes [the SA Urban Food & Farming Trust] very interesting to our network and we think there are really innovative approaches and lessons that will benefit other cities around the globe.”
Christina Teichmann, Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Strong Cities 2030 network coordinator
“The Trust helped us to establish our market garden. When we started there was nothing…they were supporting us, coming to look, buying vegetables, sending compost, and bringing volunteers. Even now they are organising market access for us.”
Toni Khulule, Production Manager, Spring Foundation, Lentegeur Market Garden
