Growing in face of adversity

AFTER being retrenched from a clothing factory 15 years ago, a Durban vegetable farmer has found comfort in alleviating poverty through farming in her KwaDabeka community, near Pinetown.

Hlaleleni Sikhakhane, a 51-year-old single mother with three children, is among a group of women who have formed a vegetable farming co-operative to support their families in the township.

When she lost her job in 2001, Sikhakhane never anticipated that running a vegetable garden could be the answer to her woes.

“I never did any farming in my youth, but I saw an opportunity to produce my own food,” she said.

Six years ago Sikhakhane and a group of women who formed the Umsoco Farming Project, which received assistance from the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, were allocated a fenced eight-hectare garden for their project.

Initially there was a group of 15 people who were set to benefit from the project.

But they encountered challenges such as water shortages and insufficient resources, and many people gave up along the way.

Sikhakhane recounted her personal challenges: “I had no skills and we lacked resources; it wasn’t easy. I had to travel as far as Inanda to collect kraal manure (fertiliser) to keep my plots fertile.

“I grew up in a non-farming family in (Mthwalume) on the South Coast. Patience and a willingness to learn have helped me to achieve what I have thus far. Growing crops sustained my family and brought in an income,” she said.

Her interest in farming developed through cultivating, harvesting and learning about crops. Hlaleleni Sikhakhane and Beauty Goge, right, work on their community garden, which sustains their families in KwaDabeka, near Pinetown. Above is their harvest.

The group grows green beans, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, maize and brinjals, which gives them about 80kg of harvest a week. Much of what they grow is taken home and the rest is sold.

But she said the farming project has not been without its challenges. “(We have had to deal with) the drought, crop theft, and criminals cutting the fence and damaging the storage house in our garden,” she said.

Sikhakhane said the construction company working on the GoDurban route along their garden was a blessing in disguise.

For three years the company had been supplying water to their garden. “I am glad we had such people around us. Without them, our garden would be lying fallow now. “We approached them when we had no other alternative to get water (and they obliged). I just wish they could stay a bit longer,” she said. Sikhakhane enjoyed working with other farmers, especially the elders. She relied on them for their gardening skills. “It’s interesting to learn that crops are living things. We should treat them like our kids. In winter you have to keep some in a tunnel. I wish I had been introduced to farming at an earlier age,” she said.

Sikhakhane said she would definitely equip her children with gardening skills.

Another farmer, Beauty Goge, 76, said she was pleased as they had enough vegetables for the busy Christmas period and would be sharing with those in need.

“I will give some vegetables to those who do not have,” she said proudly.

“We do have challenges, but we always try to overcome them.”

Goge advised those who worked in groups in community projects to always support each other.

“When you work as a collective, obviously opinions will differ at some point, but never lose your temper or give up. We need each other as farmers,” she said.

Goge wants to involve more community members in the running of the garden.

She said they have more unused land and they wanted to build a hen house.

“I think our community lacks a sense of belonging. We should involve them so they will see this garden as their own and protect it,” she said. • Those who work in groups need to be patient with each other. • Crops are very sensitive, so treat them like babies. • Consult agricultural advisers for climate and soil analysis.