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Farmer Profile: Akhona Gxuluwe

Akhona, despite standing in between hundreds of rows of colorful, blooming pots, stands out. Her bright pink lipstick is her signature look, and her “it girl status” seems to signify everything a conventional farmer is not. A walk through the Kenilworth Shopping Centre would not allude to the growth happening just above its head. The…

Langa Farmer Profile: Thobeka Gacula

Thobeka Gacula stands, rake in hand, at the end of the N2 Gateway, in an unexpected site: a flourishing green farm. Situated next to the highway at the end of the district, the plants provide a stark contrast to the buzzing by traffic and playground-turned-dumping site that lines the road. The street used to be…

Langa Farmer Profile: Mavis Mngupane

Mavis Mngupane grew up, like many residents of Langa, in the Eastern Cape. But unlike many, Mavis has brought that same sense of small, homegrown agriculture community known in the East into a large, bustling city of the West. She introduces herself as Mavis from Butterworth, keeping her strong ties to home close to her…

Profile: Christine Uys

Christine Uys grew up in Athlone, a coloured town divided by a rail line, whites on the other side. She was schooled in the 70s and 80s, in ‘The Struggle’ (she holds up a fist with grit). She was raised to be an independent woman by her father, who thought her mature enough to introduce…

Langa Farmer Profile: Nonzaliseko Nkohla, Gantuntu

Nonzaliseko Nkohla, like many middle-aged women in Langa, introduces herself as a mother. “I am Nonzaliseko of Langa, the mother of three children, and a garden worker”. There is something powerfully nurturing about stating your foremost identity as a mother and a grower. And like any middle-aged mother, she later proceeded to outline how to…

Launch of first retail urban rooftop farm in the Western Cape

SA Urban Food & Farming Trust was part of the launch of the Handpicked CityFarm at Kenilworth Centre hydroponic rooftop farm today with Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis of the City of Cape Town and the organisations making the project possible, including Mr Price Foundation, Redefine Properties, and Fresh Life Produce.

Job Opportunity: Communications & Events Officer

The ideal candidate for this exciting and challenging position has a gift for storytelling, a passion for people, and a commitment to community development. They will work happily with partners from across communities, across Africa and the globe, and thrive in the tension between in-person live events and carefully curated digital channels.

Recipes for Partnering now Available

A new guide to partnering has been launched, one of the outcomes of a Food Dialogues 2022 workshop. Titled Recipes for Partnering: Ingredients and methods for food system change in South Africa, it is available for free download.

Job Opportunity: Finance and Admin Officer

The ideal candidate for this position has a highly rigorous approach to managing finances exceeded only by their passion to make a positive impact in the world.

Intern’s insights from inside Food Dialogues 2022

Food Dialogues 2022 intern, Arti Patel, a 3rd year university student from UCLA, shares her experience and insights from being in Cape Town and playing a key role in making this year’s event programme successful.

Western Cape Food Forum Spotlight on SAUFF Trust

The Western Cape Food Forum, convened by the Western Cape Economic Development Partnership, comprises around 70 organisations and close to 400 individuals, with interest in shifting towards local production for local consumption across all levels of the food system. The SA Urban Food & Farming Trust, a founding participant in the Forum, was put in…

Laying the Table for a Better Food System

How are digital technologies disrupting our food system? What will be the impact of cultured meat? How has food shaped the spaces and places that define our city? These and other questions will be explored in Cape Town during the two-week 2022 Food Dialogues programme through a range of experiences: from expert panel discussions to hands-on cooking…

Composting success with Langa pilot project

The City of Cape Town’s upcoming ban on organic waste in landfill is on track thanks to successful projects like the Langa Organic Waste Diversion Project being supported by the Langa Agrihub

Call for Applications: GrowSA Green Economy Learnerships

The Grow SA Learnership is a 6 month long skills development and mentoring programme aimed at strengthening the grass roots green economy. The programme gives insight into a number of different industries through workshops and practical experience opportunities. These industries include urban farming, waste upcycling, community canteens/soup kitchens, food waste composting, fresh produce retail and the…

Interview with Chuma Mgcoyi

Reflections on a decade as a farmer, facilitator, activist and social entrepreneur from the SA Urban Food and Farming Trust’s 2021 EESI Entrepreneur, in conversation with Sandra Heming. Can you please introduce yourself? Tell us a little bit about your personal and professional background. My name is Chuma Mgcoyi and I’m a qualified permaculturist. I’ve…

Farmer Podcast: Nomandla Mthiyane

This podcast of 36 year-old Langa farmer, Nomandla, is part of a series of stories of inspiring individuals in our urban farmer network, a local group of urban farmers co-creating and operating food gardens in the community of Langa, Cape Town, South Africa.

Contract Opportunity: Food Dialogues Event Project Manager

We’re hiring a part-time contract position for the Food Dialogues 2022! The Food Dialogues is an annual series of events bringing together diverse voices in an inclusive dialogue to foster a healthier, more resilient, and just food system. It provides an opportunity for food growers, academics, activists, writers, nutritionists, food lovers and anyone interested in…

Langa Farmer Profile: Sindiswa Lugulwana

This profile of 71 year-old Langa farmer, Sindiswa, is one of a series of stories of inspiring individuals in our urban farmer network, a local group of urban farmers co-creating and operating food gardens in the community of Langa, Cape Town, South Africa.

Langa Farmer Profile: Nontembisa Sizani

This profile of 57 year-old Langa farmer, Nontembisa, is one of a series of stories of inspiring individuals in our urban farmer network, a local group of urban farmers co-creating and operating food gardens in the community of Langa, Cape Town, South Africa.

Langa Farmer Profile: Yonela Mnyombolo

This profile of 33 year-old Langa farmer, Yonela, is one of a series of stories of inspiring individuals in our urban farmer network, a local group of urban farmers co-creating and operating food gardens in the community of Langa, Cape Town, South Africa.

GrowSA Community Organiser Spotlight Podcasts

GrowSA Community Organiser Spotlight follows a cohort of experienced and proactive community members in Cape Town, South Africa, who are working to cultivate a food system that is more compatible with community needs. Each podcast episode features one member as they share their stories experiencing, learning about, and fighting food and nutritional insecurity in the…

Insights on fixing our broken food system at Food24.com

SA Urban Food & Farming Trust executive manager, Kurt Ackermann, spoke with Food24.com about our broken food system, what could be done to fix it, and how the Food Dialogues play a role. Below are the six questions (and responses) covered in the conversation. Can you tell us a bit more about the campaign and…

Share your food culture: bring a plate of food to the Food Dialogues

Bring your own plate of food to the virtual table as part of the “Dialogues through Food.” Three amazing chefs – Mokgadi Itsweng,  Khanya Mzongwana and Jane Nshuti – will bring their own plates of home-cooked food to the table to share as part of a must-see live panel discussion on 22 September, moderated by…

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