This five ha community garden, founded by Daniel Mnisi, is cultivated by 15 people. The garden is situated in Mayepu village, Giyani, Limpopo province and operates on land allocated by the Tribal Authority in the area. The group has registered as a trading cooperative to fit within the South African legal framework.
The water is provided by the local municipality, and the soil is rich in nutrients so that crops cultivated can easily adapt to the local climatic condition, which is low land.
The group has attended agro-ecological training workshops and has purchased various gardening tools (a jojo tank, wheelbarrows, hand hoes, digging forks). They have also installed a drip roll irrigation system, which is now making it easier for them to work in the garden.
Crops cultivated in the garden include winter crops such as spinach, cabbage, onions, carrots and tomatoes while the summer crops are: peanuts, corn, watermelon, legumes, baby marrow, and tindluwa (which looks like and is planted like peanuts, but can only be eaten when cooked, and it is mainly as an ingredient in some indigenous dishes such as Tihove and Xiendlahivomu). The products are used for personal consumption while the group sells the surplus in the nearby town, Giyani, and to the local people to get a little revenue for the daily family expenses.
Area
Mayepu Village, Giyani, Limpopo province
Coordinator
Daniel Mnisi