Where young and old toil side by side
PENSIONERS affected by chronic diseases in poverty-stricken households were most vulnerable to succumb to their illnesses because of a lack of a healthy meal before taking their medication.
But eating healthy food and freshly-grown food produce help manage such illnesses.
While South Africa manages to produce enough food to feed its people, high prices have made life difficult for many poorer people especially pensioners living with diabetes.
Kuhlekonke Garden Crop founder Anton Gumede of Nsizwakazi, near Mariannhill, said his group of eight women and men started small-scale farming to feed old people and destitute families.
“When we realised that most cancer and diabetic patients were taking medicine without Prepare beds before sowing seeds to prevent soil erosion. Water the garden in the afternoon having eaten a healthy meal, we felt compelled to come up with a plan of growing crops to feed them, free. We have more than 10 households we feed. The rest of our harvest is sold in the neighbourhood.”
He donated his two hectares of family land to planting different crops, but his ambition was to also build a computer lab for children.
Gumede, 52, said attending different workshops organised by stakeholders including ethekwini Municipality and the Department of Agriculture assisted them.
“We have learnt to grow veggies using an organic method of fertilising. We don’t using a watering can.
Use chicken compost instead of harmful fertilizers. use herbicide but mix our own spray which is less harmful.”
They grow spinach, cabbage, beetroot, madumbes (yams), butternut, sweet potatoes, potatoes, pepper, lettuce, and tomatoes.
Maria Ngema said the group started their noble cause after realising the plight of poor, old people. “Our garden has become popular. We get lots of support from locals who buy from us. With the unemployment rate at its highest level, we have roped in the youth to embark on farming to become self-reliant,” Ngema said.
Nokuthula Gumede, 18, said she wanted to study livestock and crop farming to create more employment opportunities for the youth.
She said unemployment and food scarcity were exacerbated by the movement of people from rural to urban areas, meaning that fewer skilled subsistence farmers were left.
She said overpopulation was also another factor which pushed food prices higher.
“Food has been very expensive lately but producing our own veggies has improved our family budget. We are able to focus on other matters.
“A human factor that affects farming is change, which is necessary if one needs to make a paradigm shift. Many farmers are reluctant to change.”
Gumede said training workshops improved the group’s farming skills. “Farmers should be given the opportunity to attend programmes on how agricultural practices can affect their bottom line, and also guarantee food security.” Crop growers Malondi Ngema, Buhle Vumisa and Sthoko Ngema preparing soil in their pepper garden.