Major training boost for City’s small-scale farmers

01 July 2016

 

The City of Johannesburg is training 16 small-scale farmers as part of the Department of Health and Social Development’s ongoing drive to equip previously marginalised groups with skills to develop their businesses and banish hunger and poverty.

 

The small-scale farmers, from all the City's seven regions, are being trained on how to maximise the value to their produce. The training, which is spearheaded by Member of the Mayoral Committee Cllr Nonceba Molwele and her Executive Director Wandile Zwane, is taking place at the Pimville Skills Centre in Soweto.

Launched two weeks ago and run under the department's Food Resilience Unit, the training is provided twice a week and will run until the end of September this year. The first session included First Aid training by representatives of the St Johns Ambulance.

On Thursday June 30, the centre’s kitchen was a hive of activity as Nompumelelo Mqwebu, Head Chef at Africa Meets Europe Cuisine, taught the farmers – 14 women and two men – how to make butternut soup. They also learnt how to pickle vegetables and herbs, safely handle kitchen knives, sterilise glass containers, handle food and costing.

Mqwebu emphasised the importance of networking and capacity building and encouraged the small-scale farmers to form hubs through which they would distribute their produce. A farmers’ Market Day has been planned for September where they will be introduced to potential customers, including restaurants and retail stores.

Mqwebu has worked in the industry for more than 10 years and has a wealth of information on organic farming and produce.

“This programme is about adding value to their produce. No produce should ever go to waste,” said Mqwebu.

“The Market Day we’re planning to have at the end of the training in September will show prospective clients what they can offer.”

Refiloe Molefe, founder of the Bertrams-based Bambanani Co-operative, is one of the trainees. The co-operative already supplies a supermarket chain with vegetables and herbs and sells fruit and vegetable juices at the Metro Centre and Blue Bird and Riversand markets in Fourways.

“This is the change we've been waiting for,” Molefe said.

Busisiwe Mchunu, one of the youngest participants, said the youth should be encouraged to go into farming. She and two colleagues run the Talane Infinite, launched four years ago.

“Farming is of critical importance to South Africa. Agro-processing and plant production are the future and the youth should get their hands dirty. We need to be self-sufficient in food production,” Mchunu said.

Chakela Modibedi of Ivory Park, whose five-member co-operative started two years ago, was equally excited.

“This training has been very informative and good for us, especially the cooking part,” Modibedi said.