No matter where you live in the world, there are people experiencing food insecurity. In these situations, philanthropic efforts make a significant impact. The Siyakhana Food Garden is one enterprise that’s working diligently to address hunger in South Africa. Here’s more about their admirable program.
The founding of Siyakhana
Long-term hunger leads to several nutritional problems. Malnourished children experience low body weight and stunted growth. They also have less energy for physical activity and lower immunity to fight off diseases and infections.
In South Africa, child hunger is especially rampant. According to recent data, 2.5 million South African children go to bed hungry every night. To combat this issue, Siyakhana Food Garden was launched in 2005. The enterprise began with cultivating a single acre of land to produce a variety of vegetables, fruits, maize, and herbs. Over time, the site has become an example for the entire country—and beyond—of what can be accomplished to combat food insecurity.
The word Siyakhana translates into “We build one another,” an accurate name for a philanthropic endeavor built on a culture of compassion, goodness, and humanity.
Admirable achievements
Since its inception, Siyakhana has become more than a garden growing fresh produce. Today, it is a demonstration site that has sparked the interest of like-minded people from all around the world. Siyakhana also offers training and conducts research in the area of food security.
The organization has also given others important actionable knowledge about nutrition and health. It has provided employment and entrepreneurial opportunities in agriculture and training while encouraging the use of sustainable gardening practices.
Sustainable gardening
At Siyakhana, families can shop for affordable, organically grown fruits and vegetables. In addition, the sustainable cultivation of this produce helps support a strong harvest and ensures that locally grown products are readily available for all.
Siyakhana Food Garden actively collaborates with academics, universities, corporations, and volunteers to mitigate South Africa’s lack of availability of fresh, high-quality food. These partnerships further the proven practices of sustainable crop growth and allow others to benefit from the successful approaches Siyakhana has developed.
Social development
Siyakhana is intent on demonstrating how increasing food production can be accomplished with a network of small-scale farms and gardens. This approach influences the design of cities so that neighborhoods are built to provide access for residents to land that can be used for growing food.
Having the related infrastructure and resources nearby is part of the plan as well. To facilitate local food production, communities must have access to gardening and farming equipment, and food retail outlets must be close as well.
This type of social development improves food accessibility for individuals and families living in the community who may not otherwise be able to travel to a supermarket. In underprivileged South African communities, this method can dramatically improve the health of children, people who have AIDS, and those with compromised immune systems or other vulnerabilities.
Mobilizing partnerships
Siyakhana’s base is at the University of Witwatersrand (Wits University) in Johannesburg. Its presence at Wits allows the enterprise to harness the knowledge and advice of a range of different experts. Having such expertise at the ready enables Siyakhana to expand and enhance its program.
Another important partnership Siyakhana has is with the South African government. Siyakhana communicates regularly with a cross-section of government departments including Education, Economic Development, and Agriculture and Rural Development. Through these linkages, the organization can present the impressive results that its strategy yields. In so doing, Siyakhana often plays a role in influencing governmental policy that, in turn, can mean additional improvements in combating hunger across the nation.
Ongoing research
One major focus of the enterprise is research concerning food, nutrition, and agriculture in an urban setting. Siyakhana staff members work closely with research departments at Wits University and other universities in South Africa and internationally. Moreover, they connect with research departments in provincial and national governments.
Siyakhana participates in research in many related areas, such as dietary concerns, employment opportunities, and more. Of particular interest is the work the organization is doing to influence the urban design and sustainable development of the country. This is timely considering South Africa’s rapidly expanding urbanization.
Due to urban growth, the demands on housing, employment, land, transportation, and water are high. The lack of supportive infrastructure results in congestion and inhospitable living conditions. Siyakhana’s voice and experience are invaluable at this time to ensure food security is alleviated and not exacerbated.
There’s more
From partnering with groups like the African Food Security Urban Network, to assisting with the food security program of the Green Strategic Programme for Gauteng, to conducting educational courses in permaculture, nutrition, and sustainable agriculture, Siyakhana is making a real difference in South Africa.