South Africa: Urban food gardens produce more than vegetables, they create bonds for young Capetonians – study
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Cities can foster an environment for youth initiatives to thrive by allocating spaces within their planning for urban farming.
By Tinashe P. Kanosvamhira
Post-doctoral researcher, African Centre for Cities, University of Cape Town
The Conversation
January 26, 2025
Excerpt:
In a recent study I explored youth-driven urban agriculture in Khayelitsha, a large urban area outside Cape Town whose residents are mostly Black, low-income earners.
The young urban farmers I interviewed are using community gardens to grow more than vegetables. They’re also nurturing social connections, creating economic and business opportunities, and promoting environmental conservation. My findings highlight the transformative potential of youth-driven urban agriculture and how it can be a multifaceted response to urban challenges. It’s crucial that policy makers recognise the value of youth-led urban agriculture and support those doing the work.
Khayelitsha is vibrant and bustling. But its approximately 400,000 residents have limited resources and often struggle to make a living.
I interviewed members of two youth-led gardens. One has just two members; the other has six. All my interviewees were aged between 22 and 27. The relatively low number of interviewees is typical of qualitative research, where the emphasis is placed on depth rather than breadth. This approach allows researchers to obtain detailed, context-rich data from a small, focused group of participants.
The first garden was founded in January 2020, just a few months before the pandemic struck. The founders wanted to tackle unemployment and food insecurity in their community. They hoped to create jobs for themselves and others, and to provide nutritional support, particularly for vulnerable groups like children with special needs.
Read the complete article here.
Source: https://cityfarmer.info/south-africa-urban-food-gardens-produce-more-than-vegetables-they-create-bonds-for-young-capetonians-study/
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