What is urban farming?
Urban
farming is farming that take place in urban areas like Townships and cities.
This type of farming can be done in open fields, school backyards and plots
owned by the municipality. The farms are usually used to uplift the community
and give unemployed community members something to do while they are at home.
The main purpose of urban farming is for the farmer/s to make a produce and
sell it in order to make an income.
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| left Farmer, Student (Sibongumusa) and Mr Monareng (farmer) |
Service
Learning Project
Servicelearning is an educational approach that balances formal methods of teaching
which are done in the classroom with a fresh interactive way of learning which
is done practically, outside classrooms. As Public Relations students we were
given a service learning project that required us to go to Urban Farms in
Soweto and use any skills that we've learnt thus far in our course to help the
farmers make their farms more productive. During our visits we noticed that the
farm that was assigned to us lacked a number of basic farm equipment and that
created a number of challenges for the farmer. All the challenges that will be
listed below contributed to our farmer not being able to get maximum profit
from his farm
- Lack of workforceNo irrigation systemWork source too far from gardenNo Nets to protect produce from sun
Throughout
the journey we experienced the important of how farming in urban areas such as
townships, and how people are so depended on what farms produce. For Mr
Monareng to actually get all the equipment the farm needs will take some time
hence the department that contacted have procedures that have to followed for
all farms
I think it is a good strategy to improve livelihood of lower income people and development within communities. I can tell you many scientific, social and economic reasons why urban farming is important or relatively superior.
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ReplyDeleteBut for simple answer if we look at the South African population, the population is increasing rapidly. The population growth is relatively higher than the employment rate. There is a huge gap between the number of people employed and the number of people who need jobs. And secondly most people who don't have jobs are those who don't have skills required in non-agricultural sector. The skills they have will only work for agricultural sector. Unless the government invest more to education. So urban farming can help to improve the livelihoods of those people. And with more food produced, can help improve the availability of food in the country and reduce price volatility. That means more supply of food will reduce food prices.
ReplyDeleteAs food prices decrease, consumer's purchasing power will increase, controlling other factors. In addition urban farming can improve food security. If safety and quality of the urban planted crops is improved. People will have access to safe, sufficient, and affordable nutritious food. Their income will be improved via job creation or job opportunities created by urban farming.
ReplyDeleteWe should also remember that many can benefit. The farmers themselves benefit as well. Urban farming does not only include cropping. It can be beef or dairy farming. And for the final product to be sold, there are many processes involved. The product (eg vegetables & fruits) start from farmers as fresh produce to processes ( mixed vegies, food salads, juices, e.t.c) to wholesalers (makro e.t.c) then retailers (spar, Shoprite e.t.c) . Through these processes jobs are created for both skilled and unskilled workers. Entrepreneurial opportunities are created (owners to processing companies e.g Hullet sugar company process sugarcane into sugar). For Hullet company to be there sugarcane has to be produced. So not only farmers and people benefits. Through urban farming new companies can be developed.
ReplyDeleteThen lastly the economy will improve (GDP will increase) . There are many benefits, but as we all know benefits comes with costs or losses in business or any economic practice. So there are costs associated with diverting urban land to farming. But surely the benefits of urban farming more than outweigh the costs. More even better if losers are compensated in some ways.
ReplyDeleteFor those kind of challenges urban farmers face, if extension agencies or you guys can talk to the municipality to subsidize these farmers by implementing some irrigation system for them. There are government and nongovernment organizations who are interested in developing small farmers. These organizations supply farmers with seeds, they ensure that their produce are being sold to markets. So help from the municipality by providing water and from these organizations can develop small farming or limit some of the constrains. Some organizations can even provide nets but farmers sometimes have to pay back the money for the things they are given once they are making profits.
ReplyDeleteseveral of urban farmers are negleted which is wrong and they are working under poor conditipons. i certainly support urban farming
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