Planting seeds for food security

KNYSNA NEWS - Organisations involved in the Seed of Hope food garden in Hornlee continue to put their heads and hands together for the betterment of the community and growth of the garden.

The garden, a joint initiative of Knysna Methodist Outreach NPO and the Rotary Club of Knysna, is located at the Methodist Church in Hornlee.

Local gardening non-profit organisation Growing Upwards has been contracted to do the design, establishment and maintenance of the garden, a role it will fulfill over four growing seasons.

All three organisations are strongly committed to developing long-term food security solutions for Knysna.

However, without relevant training for those involved, projects of this type will surely fail. It is vital to offer a programme that includes entrepreneurial development to equip people with the necessary skills to start and sustain their own gardens, as well as to generate an income.

With support from Knysna Rotary, Growing Upwards has created a two-day training course curriculum, incorporating both practical gardening skills and entrepreneurship.

The course was piloted on 28 and 29 September, with Knysna Rotary sponsoring the training material and the Seed of Hope soup kitchen producing tasty lunches. The Hornlee Methodist Church provided the perfect training venue with an indoor space and a productive vegetable garden for practical work.

Indoor training with Sue Torrance.

The community gardening skills session, delivered by Growing Upwards professional gardener Sue Torrance, was outstanding, with delegates (12 passionate vegetable growers from Hornlee, Dam se Bos, Concordia, Khayalethu and Upper Town) readily asking questions and taking part in discussions.

Day 2 saw Lizelle Genade of Growing Upwards presenting the entrepreneurial module of the programme, tailor-made for community gardeners. This was once again well-received, eliciting lively discussions and many laughs.

At the end of the session the participants were split into two focus groups to discuss business plans for their projects, which they then presented to the class.

At the end of the course each gardener received a starter kit containing seeds, trays, compost and organic fertiliser. Feedback from the course delegates has been positive. All are currently involved in food gardening in Knysna and appreciated the chance to network and share ideas with others in the community, in addition to gaining new skills.

Growing Upwards members with participants in the training course.