Nolukhanyo Grow – communities helping themselves

Food security is a term that has gained momentum throughout the world as droughts, floods, overgrazing and poor soil management cause desertification in many areas while limiting the world’s food production at a time when the global population is increasing.

Along with South Africa’s unemployment rate, currently running over 40%, food prices have led to hunger among many poorer people.

Bathurst fine-artist Tori Stowe has set up an initiative called Nolukhanyo Grow to help alleviate this situation with sustainable domestic permaculture gardens at home in Nolukhanyo township in Bathurst, primarily to allow residents to feed themselves.

The informal community development project is supported by the Bathurst Community Trust and various private sponsors. However, the project has several other benefits for the people as some have taken to producing enough surplus food they are able to sell it to other residents, thereby generating several micro-entrepreneurs in the process.

Read the full story in this week’s Talk of the Town.