The staff of the Nelson Mandela Foundation and Quivertree Publications had the privilege of experiencing The Great South African Cookbook in a new way.
On 16 November a group of staff, together with non-governmental organisation Food & Trees for Africa, met at the Lenin Street Market Garden in Alexandra, Johannesburg, to celebrate the work accomplished by local women farming in an urban setting.
The Great South African Cookbook was released to coincide with Mandela Day in July. The Nelson Mandela Foundation will receive all royalties from sales of the book to develop and support community food and agricultural projects, and improve the lives of those who are in need of food and who need to be freed from poverty.
The City of Johannesburg’s social development department and the councillor for Ward 105, Shadrack Mkhonto, have supported this urban market garden initiative since April, along with small fresh produce distribution business Fresh. Ward 105 encompases a large part of Alexandra, The majority of the urban garden members are women who live in and around Alexandra. On average the farming earns them R500 a day.
Through the farming and vegetable and fruit sales, the gardeners have gained a valuable set of skills that will help sustain a healthy, sustainable project. They pick and sell, and even pickle, their produce.
“We are not gogos any more, we are farmers,” Violet, Sina and others told Food & Trees for Africa.
Proceeds of the sale of The Great South African Cookbook will see the people who run this garden, the first of 10 garden collectives that will benefit, receive additional training, seedlings, compost and mentoring.