By Khutso Uoane
After graduating with a Diploma in Agriculture and not being able to find a job, Eastern Cape born Zanele Manjo, aged 30, did not give up. Rather, she decided to turn an illegal dump site in Doornkop Block 3 into an urban food garden. She hopes this will inspire others to do the same.
Doornkop Gardens, in Doornkop Block 3, grows and sells fresh, organic, vegetables to the local community and street vendors. Zanele uses indigenous knowledge to grow plants with harmony – growing common vegetables and indigenous herbs.
It is still early days for Doornkop Gardens. Established in 2022, the team had to start at the very beginning. They had to remove litter before they could start to build the soil, which was not a simple task to do.
“Growing organically, we grow the soil before we grow crops. Everything starts with good compost, and we make this ourselves using food waste. We also use organic manure.”
To achieve this, they must work closely with the local community to get material they can compost.
Zanele is also working hard within the community to change behaviours and beliefs. “A lot of people still believe that agriculture is for uneducated people and that people who are doing agriculture are always dirty. As such we want to make them realise that there is more to agriculture than they think, and that anyone can be a farmer for that matter. We also want to encourage young people to educate themselves about agriculture and its significance in the society and economy at large.”
Changing behaviours has not been an easy thing to do. “Littering has proven to be a thorn in our flesh. We have space we want to expand onto, but it is a mess. It is just unfortunate that until we create pride in our spaces, things will not change and people will continue to go hungry.”
Things have not been a walk in the park. With no start-up capital or funding, Zanele has had to make a plan. “There has been no one to help us register our company, or learn how to apply for grants and loans. We have also had our fence vandalised. But this is just a start. We will keep pushing because we believe in our dream.”
The next step is to expand the growing area and sell to communities outside of Doornkop. They also aim to involve young people in their agricultural activities as well as encourage those in both primary and high school to consider careers in the agricultural field and industry, and break the stereotype that agriculture is for the old and illiterate.
With Doornkop Gardens team, it is just a matter of time until the people of Doornkop realise that agriculture is about more than just getting your hands dirty- it can be the centre of a vibrant community.
Khutso is studying PR and Communication Management at UJ. She hopes to use her talents to make a difference to people around Southern Africa. You can reach her on Khutso.uoane19@gmail.com.
