Stronger urban communities through food and farming
Where community food gardens are resilient, communities are resilient.
Today we support over 1500 farmers in marginalised urban communities, operate the Oranjezicht City Farm, develop grassroots leaders with catalytic potential, host the annual Food Indaba reaching an audience of over 122 million, and work through pan-African collaborations in food systems transformation across 15 African cities.
We are on track to strengthen the resilience of over 1 000 000 marginalised urban residents in South Africa in the next 10 years.
Selected Projects
Agrihub Initative
Addressing the challenges of marginalised and underresourced urban communities, our ground-up, collectivist, community-scale approach has proven effective in strengthening the resilience of farmers as well as their communities. The Initiative has grown to include over 1500 farmers at more than 230 growing sites. [more…]
AfriFOODlinks: Transforming Africa’s urban food systems
Launched in December 2022, AfriFOODlinks is a 4-year, €12m EU-funded project to improve food security and urban sustainability in 65+ cities in Africa. SAUFFT is leading work in two Cape Town informal food market environments, as well as the introduction of Food Dialogues in four other African cities. [more…]
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…]
The 2025 Food Indaba explored the potential impacts and opportunities for artificial intelligence on African food systems. It also engaged in multifaceted ways with intergenerational connections through food, facilitated pan-African urban dialogues, and explored how the medium of food itself can bring us insight, connection and joy. With 600 attendees, 770 000 online engagements and a media reach of 122 million, Food Indaba is a major platform for food systems awareness and transformation.
Latest News
- New Voices, Shared Vision: Meet the Trustees Guiding SAUFFT ForwardOne of the key highlights of this year was welcoming three new trustees to the SA Urban Food & Farming Trust: Hadijah Nankanja, Miles Kubheka and Nonhlanhla Taylor. Each bringsContinue reading “New Voices, Shared Vision: Meet the Trustees Guiding SAUFFT Forward”
- Paving and Levelling of the Smiley Market: Strengthening Safety and DignityFor decades, the Rhodes Street Smiley Market in Langa has been a cornerstone of local food culture. Known for the preparation and sale of “smileys”, sheep heads cooked over openContinue reading “Paving and Levelling of the Smiley Market: Strengthening Safety and Dignity”
- Cape Town Mayor Joins SAUFFT at the Lerotholi Ave Open StreetsFollowing the success of the inaugural Open Streets event, the SA Urban Food & Farming Trust (SAUFFT) was invited to participate in the Open Streets Experiments: Lerotholi Ave Sundays onContinue reading “Cape Town Mayor Joins SAUFFT at the Lerotholi Ave Open Streets”
“Seeding good trouble…”
The SA Urban Food & Farming Trust was profiled in a report on Civil Society Innovation and Urban Inclusion, 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
“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
SA Urban Food & Farming Trust 